Jessa and Jill have been identified as two of the sisters 19 Kids and Countring star Josh Duggar sexually assaulted.
In an interview with Fox News journalist Megyn Kelly the sisters were asked whether they consider themselves victims.
Jessa, 22 said that what her brother did was “very wrong,” but defended Josh, now 27.
She argued her brother was not a child molester.
“I’m like, that is so overboard and a lie really, I mean people get mad at me for saying that but I can say this because I was one of the victims.”
Her sister Jill is 24.
Josh Duggar, the eldest child of reality TV show family the Duggars, was forced to issue an apology after reports he molested five underage girls, some of whom were his sisters, were made public.
Duggar, was found to have sexually molested five girls, including his sisters, over the course of four years, starting in 2002.
These allegations include forcible fondling of the girl’s breasts and genitals whilst they were sleeping.
Earlier today The Weekly reported Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, confirmed Josh molested four of their girls, and a young babysitter, back when he was under the age of 16.
Michelle Duggar, said Josh had confessed the abuse to them.
“We were shocked. I mean we were just devastated. I don’t think any parent is prepared for trauma like that,” she said.
She said the girls “didn’t know anything of his wrongdoing.”
Jim Bob said Josh had just acted out of curiosity.
“He was just curious about girls, and he had gone in and just basically touched them over their clothes while they were sleeping. They didn’t even know he had done it,” he said.
The 19 Kids and Counting star became the subject of a molestation investigation after an anonymous source revealed his past before the family were due to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. And although there have been several testaments and statements from his alleged victims, Duggar has never been prosecuted.
The now father of three has released a statement, apologising for acting “inexcusably”.
“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,” read the 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. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.”
The ‘several steps’ of “punishment” the statement refers to were revealed to be a 3-month “Christian Treatment Program”, and a “stern talk” from a former Arkansas state trooper, Joseph Hutchens, who has since been charged with child pornography and is currently serving 56 years in prison.
Duggar’s parents, said they will continue to support their son despite his molesting of their daughters.
“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,” read the statement, “We had tried to teach him right from wrong. That dark and difficult time caused us to seek God like never before.”
It was also reported that, although Jim Bob and Michelle knew of their son’s crimes at the time, they decided not to take any legal or disciplinary action, choosing instead to “pray for him”.
HollywoodLife reported on May 21st, that Duggar was the subject of a police investigation in 2006, but has never been prosecuted.
Josh Duggar is now married to wife, Anna, and has three children, with another on the way.
The whole Duggar clan
