Josh Duggar Found Guilty of Child Pornography
A guilty verdict begs important questions of a family long eager to forgive, forget
Content warning: This story discusses child sexual abuse.
A federal jury in Arkansas has found Josh Duggar guilty of receipt and possession of child pornography.
Duggar was a childhood star of reality show 19 Kids and Counting, part of a family that came to prominence with a novel abundance of children and a conservative Christian theology that included homeschooling, plus long hair, skirts, and dresses for daughters raised to convey “modesty.” The family’s narrative centered on faithful “family values” and purity.
Josh Duggar was responsible for the show’s cancellation in 2015 after a police report resurfaced showing Duggar had been investigated for molesting multiple girls as a teen, including four of his sisters. In 2015, the family framed his actions as due to being “curious,” touching mostly occurring over clothing while the girls slept.
Around the time of the show’s cancellation, the Duggars released a statement that asserted “with God’s grace and help, Josh, our daughters and our entire family overcame a terrible situation, found healing and a way forward.” They expressed hope their situation would point people toward…
