The Duggar family and child sexual abuse
For this week's blog post, I would like to give my feelings on a parents moral responsibility to protect one of their children from prosecution versus their moral responsibility to protect their children and others from sexual abuse.
I would like to start by saying that I do not agree with the QuiverFull philosophy on externally large families but I do not have any hard feelings with anyone that make choices about their family that are within Federal and State laws where they live. I have seen first hand what happens when a group of people decide to use force to push their belief system on those around them, it's a big reason why I joined the Navy in order to protect our rights as Americans.
With that out of the way, I have a huge moral and ethical issue with the facts that have came to light on how Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar allegedly chose to wait from May 2002 until July 2003 to report the actions of their son, Josh Duggar to the police. Then Arkansas State police corporal ( and now convicted child pornographer) Joseph Hutchens decided not to report the mater because the parents had already sent the alleged offender to treatment.
In December 2006, a anonymous call was place to Arkansas Child Protective Service with allegations of sexual abuse by on of the Duggar children. This was investigated by Springdale police and Jim Bob and Michelle were both interviewed as well as several potential victims. Springdale police determined that the statute of limitations had expired and declined to press charges.
May 2015, a tabloid magazine post a story with allegations of child sexual abuse against Josh Duggar and later that month both he and his parents release public statements and vague apologies.
In my humble opinion, what Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar did was protect themselves, their family and their first son from the legal, financial, political and moral ramifications of child sexual abuse charges. I will always say the whole term Child Sexual Abuse because this was not bullying or hitting of yelling. This was a teenage child having sexual physical contact with small children. Allegedly.
At some point Jim Bob and Michelle made a decision that they would fail to protect their own children and others from their son. The former member of Arkansas State Legislature waited over a year before speaking to the "police" and had no issue with letting child sexual abuse charges be remediated with a "stern talking to" Then after three more years, and once the statute of limitation is over, the still do not see the need to seen Josh to counseling or to register him as a sex offender or even remove him from young children.
Just like governments have the responsibility to protect their people, parents have the upmost responsibility to protect their children.
ALL of the children.
If one kid was forced to suffer the lifetime of struggles that victims of sexual abuse deal with because of the Duggar's immoral and unethical decision making, then I believe the responsibility fall on the parents and anyone that knew but failed to come forward.
Any kid that was abused by Josh Duggar after the first report was the direct responsibility of his parents and much as himself.
When you are on a ship and there is a fire in a compartment, you don't close a hatch and hope it goes out. You don't give it a stern talking to. You and ALL of your Shipmates fight the fire until its completely extinguished. Then you post a watch to make sure there is no reflash. I can't imagine what life would be like if one of my Shipmates were hurt because I failed to raise the alarm and or fight the fire.
I think Jim Bob and Michelle may know how it feels.
Allegedly.
REF:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/teresa-huizar/in-response-to-the-duggar_b_7553460.html?utm_hp_ref=duggar-family
http://quiverfull.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/23/a-timeline-of-the-molestation-allegations-against-josh-duggar/
No comments:
Post a Comment