How Josh Duggar's Scandal Brought The Family Closer Together
Married couple Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo, known from the TLC reality shows "19 Kids and Counting" and "Counting On," are releasing a book on May 4 titled "The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God," (via Us Weekly).
In the book they discuss the ups and downs of life; one such down being that when multiple girls came forward in 2015, Josh Duggar — Jinger's oldest brother and one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 19 kids — had allegedly molested them. Josh stated at the time, per The Hollywood Reporter, "I brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions that happened when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have rebroken their trust. The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country, I was hiding my own personal failings."
The statement continued, "As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences. I deeply regret all hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example. I humbly ask for your forgiveness."
Jinger discusses the challenging time in the family's life
When talking to Us Weekly about it, Jinger Duggar said that "it was one of the hardest times of our lives." Specifically, she stated that she found out who her true friends were.
"Seeing how they responded really showed us the love of Christ through them and through their friendships," she reflected. "I think that was something that stood out to me and I saw the friends who came so close and were like, 'Hey, I'll just sit with you,' 'I'll bring you a meal or hang out with you if you want to.' In those times I thought, 'Man, that really meant the most.'"
The reality star also described how it affected her family, saying that it was "challenging" to deal with the scandal inwardly and in the public eye, but that it had a silver lining. Duggar notes, "Our family was way closer because of that, and in spite of that, I guess you'd say."
If you, or anyone you know, have been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).