Jessa and Jill Duggar defend brother Josh over molestation

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Jessa and Jill defend their brother Josh in Duggar interview part two: Sisters blame 'puberty' for his actions, and say they were kept apart from him and slept behind locked doors

Jessa and Jill Duggar discussed sexual molestation they suffered as minors at the hands of their brother Josh in a new interview Friday
Jill broke down in tears recalling the moment they learned the report that detailed their molestation had been released to the public
Duggars suggested that InTouch's decision to publish story may have had something to do with parent company Bauer, which distributes porn
Once again, the girls defended their brother, this time adding their belief that his actions were a mix of 'puberty' and 'bad choices'
Sisters said their parents later made them sleep behind locked doors and prevented Josh from babysitting them
Host Megyn Kelly was maligned by a majority of critics and viewers for her interview earlier this week with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
Jessa and Jill's appearance will likely be the last time a family member speaks of the scandal as TLC has yet to make a call on show's future

By Chris Spargo For Dailymail.com

Published: 15:29 EST, 5 June 2015 | Updated: 06:25 EST, 6 June 2015

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Jessa and Jill Duggar revealed they did not know as young girls that they had been molested by their older brother Josh until their parents explained what happened to them and sent their son away.

The Duggar sisters sat down Friday night for Part 2 of an exclusive interview with Megyn Kelly, the host of Fox News' The Kelly Files, to set the record straight not only about their experiences as victims of molestation, but also about their reaction to the release of their confidential records.

‘I was like, shocked… OK, that is strange,’ Jessa, who was 9 or 10 years old at the time, said. ‘I didn’t know what happened until my parents told me.’

Speaking out: Jessa Duggar (left) and sister Jill (right) sat down with Megyn Kelly for an exclusive interview for Fox News to discuss the molestation scandal involving their brother

The special was recorded Wednesday and aired in its entirety on Fox News' The Kelly Files Friday

Heartbroken: Jill admits that after learning of the molestation she suffered at the hands of her brother it was 'conflicting' because she loved him but was 'scared' and 'sad'

Defending: Jessa came after those who have labeled her brother a 'pedophile' and 'rapist'

Jill, who was 12 when the inappropriate touching took place, recalled feeling ‘sad' and ‘shocked’ at the revelation.

‘This is my older brother whom I love, a lot,’ she remembered feeling.

The two sisters largely downplayed what went on between themselves and their older brother, calling the inappropriate touching ‘subtle’ and 'mild.'

‘It wasn’t like a horror story or this terrible thing,’ Jessa insisted in the interview, as both siblings stressed that the two of them and the rest of their family, including Josh, had dealt with the trauma and put it behind them a long time ago.

Jessa Duggar also pointed out that she know 'so many girls who go through things way worse.'

The 22-year-old mother-to-be told the Fox News host: 'I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist, some people are saying.

'I'm like, that is so overboard and a lie, really. I mean, people get mad at me for saying that but I am like, I can say this, you know? I was one of the victims.'

The girls did not entirely excuse their brother's actions, however, though even when they did point out a negative behavior the pair seemed too quickly find a way to explain or justify his actions.

'Josh was a boy, a young boy in puberty and a little too curious about girls,' explained Jessa.

'And that got him into some trouble. And he made some bad choices, but, really, the extent of it was mild – inappropriate touching on fully clothed victims, most of it while [the] girls were sleeping. '

After Josh Duggar, then 14, confessed the truth about fondling his sisters in their sleep to his parents, he came and asked Jill and Jessa individually for forgiveness.

The young women said they had a choice to make, and they chose to forgive him, but it took some time for them to rebuild the trust – time that Josh Duggar spent away from the rest of the clan at the command of his parents.

‘He knew in his mind his actions were wrong,’ Jessa Duggar said of her brother.

The sisters said when Josh Duggar was finally allowed to return home, he was a changed person who appeared both humbled and repentant.

‘Josh destroyed that trust in the beginning, and he had to rebuild it,’ said Jill.

Difficult times: The girls are not afraid to show their emotions while speaking with Kelly, breaking down on a few occassions

In tears: Jill Duggar became hysterical talking about the moment she found out that InTouch magazine had obtained their police records from years earlier

Feeling the pain: The 24-year-old said she felt 're-victimized' when the tabloid drudged up their old family history

Hidden agenda: The sisters suggested that the decision to run with the story of their sexual abuse may have had something to do with the fact that InTouch is owned by Bauer Media, which also distributes pornography through a subsidiary

The young women agreed that having their dirty laundry splashed over magazine covers was 'a thousand times worse' than the abuse itself

The 24-year-old young wife and mother praised her parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, for putting in place strict rules at their house: Josh was not allowed to babysit his sisters at night; the girls’ bedroom rooms had to be locked and they were not allowed to play hide-go-seek in pairs.

Jill and Jessa told Megyn Kelly with a smile that they never had any ‘trouble’ with other family members, and that after the incident with Josh, their parents urged them to come forward if anyone ever touched them inappropriately.

We've never claimed to be a perfect family; my parents have always actually stated you know, we are not a perfect family.

Then in 2006, the Duggars went as a family to the Department of Humans Services to talk to investigators about what happened to the girls.

Jill and Jessa were assured that it was a safe place to talk, and that no one will ever find out about their traumatic ordeal.

That is why, Jessa and Jill said, they felt shocked and horrified when InTouch magazine was able to obtain their personal records detailing the molestation allegations through a Freedom of Information Act request.

'They don’t have a right to do this,' a hysterical Jill Duggar said of her reaction to the report's release, with tears streaming down her face in the Fox studio. 'We are victims. They can't do this to us.'

Both sisters agreed that InTouch’s account of their molestation was distorted and filled with lies, and suggested that the editors’ decision to run with the story may have had something to do with the fact that the magazine is owned by the parent company Bauer Media, which also distributes pornographic material through one of their subsidiaries.

Betrayed: Jill Duggar, 24, wept saying how she and her sister felt wronged by the tabloids

Ancient history: The sisters said their family did not think twice about inviting TLC cameras into their home because they had put the molestation case behind them years earlier

No big deal: The siblings said that should TLC decide to pull the plug on their long-running reality TV show, they will find the strength to get over it

‘I see it as a re-victimization,’ an emotional Jill Duggar said, ‘I see it as a thousand times worse [than the act].’

The Duggars, according to Jessa, are collectively furious about the story coming out and they feel unfairly maligned by the tabloids that know little of their internal family dynamic .

‘These past two weeks have been a thousand times worse for us,’ Jessa said.

But Jill Duggar insisted that the scandal has brought their family even closer together.

‘We’re all in harmony as a family and we all love each other like crazy,’ she said.

Josh was a boy, a young boy in puberty and a little too curious about girls. And that got him into some trouble.

When asked by Megyn Kelly about Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar's decision to make their family the subject of a reality TV show, considering their problematic history, Jessa said her parents had no qualms about inviting TLC cameras into their home because they were sure the drama revolving around the molestation case had been put to bed years earlier

Jill and Jessa also made it clear that despite what happened, they value their family above all else as they slam those coming after Josh and others who have labeled the family as a bunch of 'hypocrites.'

'Well, I think that you know some people, I've heard them say you know "you're hypocrites" well if you go back and look at everything people that have seen in our lives, in television you know, we've never claimed to be a perfect family; my parents have always actually stated you know, we are not a perfect family,' explained Jill, 24, to Kelly.

Jill said the show was a window of opportunity that ‘God allowed for the family to be on TV,’ but the sisters said should TLC decide to pull the plug on the show, they will accept the decision and get over it.

‘Life goes on. We’re not a TV family - we’re just a family that happened to be on TV.’

Crisis control: Jim Bob and Michelle were very aggressive and outspoken in their interview with Kelly, at one point saying most families have a situation similar to what happened with Josh and the girls

Hot seat: Early clips from the interview with Jessa and Jill look much better for Fox News host Megyn Kelly (above) who failed to ask Jim Bob and Michelle many tough questions Wednesday night

Happy couple: Jill and her husband Derick Dillard (above) are seen here at their wedding last October

Happy couple: Jessa and husband Ben Seewald (above) were married just last January, but are already expecting their first child

Listen closely: Does Michelle Duggar say 'lesbian agenda'?

Megyn Kelly was almost universally maligned for her interview with parents Jim Bob and Michelle that aired Wednesday night.

Kelly, coming off impressive interviews with major political candidates including one in which she managed to get Jeb Bush to state he would invade Iraq as his brother did even with all of today's intelligence, was labelled little more than a sympathetic ear by viewers and critics alike who were shocked to see Jim Bob and Michelle all but run away with the program.

I do want to speak up in his defense against people who are calling him a child molester or a pedophile or a rapist, some people are saying. I'm like, that is so overboard and a lie, really. I mean, people get mad at me for saying that but I am like, I can say this, you know? I was one of the victims.

What's more, after teasing a fair and balanced interview, Kelly failed to ask most, if any, of the pressing questions many of the 3.1million people who tuned in have about Jim Bob and Michelle's role in covering up these incidents and never contacting law enforcement.

'It seemed to be pretty much about helping the Duggars salvage their brand rather than getting to the bottom of what happened in this family,' NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans said of Kelly's performance in an interview with The Wrap.

'She wasn’t particularly incisive and she didn’t push the Duggars on issues that I think are at the heart of this — why they waited so long to go to law enforcement, why they took all these unofficial avenues to get their children help.'

He then pointed out the biggest problem many had with the sit down, pointing out that '20 minutes passed in the interview before [Kelly] asked how the [Duggar] daughters felt about what happened to them.'

Next generation: Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard welcomed their first baby in April

Baby on board: Jessa and husband Ben Seewald (pictured) are expecting their first child together

It remains to be seen however if Jill and Jessa, who revealed earlier this week to People that their decision to appear for this interview was theirs and theirs alone, will be asked about the response of their parents, or lack thereof, to this repeated molestation of minors at the hands of their son.

Kelly is certainly not afraid to ask the girls far more personal and painful questions than she did of their parents based on these early clips, and having grown up in front of the camera both Jill and Jessa appear relaxed and at ease despite the scope of the interview.

It also helps that they do not have a reputation to repair, something Jim Bob and Michelle seemed focused on during their interview as they explained why they are good parents, with the Duggar patriarch even stating at one point that these incidents of molestation among siblings are common in families and happened with 'lots of his friends.'

The early looks at Jessa and Jill's interview also make it seem as if the girls would have been a far better choice to lead off the two-night event on Fox News, especially given the fact that they are the actual victims in this situation, making their decision to speak at all that much more remarkable and incredibly brave.

Not impressed: Many viewers were not happy with Kelly's performance or the responses of Jim Bob and Michelle (above) during their Wednesday appearance

No go?: TLC has made no comment on the future of 19 Kids and Counting yet, but even if the show is cancelled a Jessa and Jill spin-off seems like an idea executives would be interested in pursuing

Cast mates: Jill (second from right) and Jessa (left) are also close to their two oldest sisters, Jana (second from left) and Jinger (right), having written a book together and become an industry separate from the family

Josh Duggar apologizes amid child molestation allegations

Jill and Jessa's interview will also probably be the last time anyone in the family speaks of Josh's offenses, unless he himself decides to share his story, meaning that the question now becomes what will happen to 19 Kids and Counting?

JOSH DUGGAR'S MOLESTATION OF MINORS

In March of 2002 an unnamed minor said that Josh Duggar, then 14, 'had been touching her breasts and genitals while she slept.'

He would admit to this a few months later in July, and a member of the family claims they had a meeting to discuss the incident.

Then, in March 2003, 'several' minors came forward to say that Josh had been touching them 'when they sleep,' leading to his father Jim Bob holding another family meeting and deciding to speak with elders at the family's church about the offenses.

It was suggested that Josh should enter a treatment program, at which point he spent four months in Little Rock, Arkansas helping a family friend remodel a building.

Upon his return, Jim Bob informed those aware of the situation that Josh had received counseling and took him to a family friend who was a state trooper to reveal what had occurred, resulting in the teenager getting a stern lecture but no formal report being filed by police.

By all accounts the offenses stopped and Josh apologized to the victim, but some time in 2006 an individual in the church who had borrowed a book from the Duggars found a note detailing Josh's molestation of minors.

That person then sent that information in an email to The Oprah Winfrey Show shortly before the Duggars were set to appear, and they in turn notified authorities who began conducted an investigation.

Jim Bob and Michelle along with all the victims were interviewed, though Josh was made unavailable to speak by his parents and no charges were pursued in the end as the statute of limitations had by that point run out.

With Josh in hiding and Jim Bob and Michelle finding themselves again under attack after their behavior on Kelly's show, Jill and Jessa may be the last chance the family has at getting back in the good graces of TLC.

Of course, the network could also just break off with the two girls, who are not only both married and but also the two most popular members of the show's crowded cast.

Even better, they are both getting started on families of their own, with Jessa and husband Ben Seewald getting ready to welcome their first child later this year, and Jill giving birth to a son Israel in April.

And where Jill and Jessa go so to do sisters Jinger and Jana, with the four young women having slowly created their own little empire over the past few years separate from their parents and other siblings.

That means that their business endeavors will not take the hit that is being felt by their parents and brother, and the interview with Kelly could even supply a boost to some of their ventures.

Their first success was Growing Up Duggar, a book the four penned that enjoyed very healthy sales and a large young female audience who were likely more interested in stories about the girls than the family's puritanical approach to relationships.

The idea of the show coming back with just the older girls has no doubt been discussed among executives at the network, especially after Jill's wedding to husband Derick Dillard was, and still remains, the highest rated show in the network's history.

That wedding party featured every family member of the massive brood save Josh and his family.

Jill and Jessa could also help save the show's most important audience if they break off and do their own series with their sisters - advertisers.

What was at first just a few major companies jumping ship has now turned into a bit of a mass exodus, with some brands even going so far as to say they will not even advertise on the network if the show returns.

One thing that seems almost certain however is that if the show does ever come back, Josh would not be asked to return based on the public outcry over these offenses.

It was just last month that InTouch obtained and released the damning police report, leading to a statement almost immediately from Josh admitting to the claims made in the report.

'Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,' Josh, 27, said in a statement.

'I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling.'

Jim Bob and Michelle released their own statement as well, saying; 'Back 12 years ago our family went through one of the most difficult times of our lives.

'When Josh was a young teenager, he made some very bad mistakes, and we were shocked. We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.'

The police report detailed Josh's molestation of five minors in 2002 and 2003.

He was never charged with a crime for the incidents as by the time police learned of the offenses the statue of limitations had passed, and his parents did not notify authorities in an official capacity at any point after learning about their son's actions.

It is also interesting to note that when the family moved into their custom built home in 2006, communal rooms for the male members of the family and female members of the family were on exact opposite sides of the 7,000-square-foot dwelling.

The distance is not the only thing that stood between the rooms either, with any Duggar hoping to spend time with one of their opposite-sex siblings first having to walk by Michelle's office and Jim Bob and Michelle's bedroom, letting the parents know what was going on at all times.

As a final precaution, the journey also requires a walk across an elevated catwalk that cuts through the family's two-story living room, another chance for people in the house to keep an eye on who was spending time together.

Gone boy: Josh Duggar (above) has been in hiding since this scandal first broke

Divided: A look at the family home built by the Duggars (above) after the scandal seems to illustrate the lengths the family went to in order to keep the sexes a safe distance away from one another at night

Long night's journey: A look at the route (above) Duggar siblings would have to take to see opposite sex family members

Strict rules: Girls had to lock their doors overnight in the wake of Josh Duggar' molestation confession to his parents

Josh Duggar family absent from Jessa and Ben's wedding party

It was only when the family was set to make an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006 that someone reached out to producers and informed them of these prior incidents, leading those producers to contact authorities and notify them of what they had been told by this individual through email.

According to TMZ, the Harpo staff received the email at 7:30am and contacted authorities right away on December 7.

Police then called Michelle and Jim Bob at 1:17pm telling them they needed to bring their son in for questioning.

Winfrey meanwhile cancelled the planned interview immediately and sent the family home.

This sequence of events has many wondering how TLC and Discovery Health could have been unaware of the molestation claims. Oprah had the biggest talk show in the country at the time, and no doubt it took a lot of work to book the family on her show.

The network would have been thrilled at the publicity such an appearance would generate for their show. No doubt network executives would have demanded an explanation as to why the interview was cancelled at the last minute.

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