A lot has been written about how the Quiverfill movement operates and how a family like the Duggars are seemingly more likely to produce a predator like Josh Duggar because of the way they set up the relationships between boys and girls, men and women. While I think that’s interesting and notable to remember, I also think it’s an excuse. Josh Duggar understood that he was doing something wrong, which is why he self-reported. But then he kept doing it because he had gotten away with it, because his parents found a way to rationalize and excuse his behavior. Josh preyed on those closest to him – his sisters and a babysitter, name unknown. We already knew that Josh had preyed on his sisters, but it wasn’t until last night’s Fox News interview that we got a confirmation on the identity of two of his victims: Josh’s younger sisters Jill and Jessa.

The confirmation came hours before the Duggar interview aired. The confirmation came via a press release from Fox News. Keep that in mind. In Touch Weekly didn’t publicize Jessa and Jill’s names. THEIR PARENTS DID. Fox News did. At the end of Megyn Kelly’s hour-long Duggar interview special, she gave a preview of her interview with Jill and Jessa, which will air on Friday. The clip is hard to watch because these two young women are obviously very upset and they’re trying to figure out who to blame.

I feel genuinely sorry for them. No victim deserves to have their names put out there in the public sphere. Which is why In Touch Weekly redacted their names in their reporting. CNN pointed that out too – the mainstream media has been showing a great deal of restraint in not specifically naming Josh’s victims. While I understand Jill and Jessa’s hurt and anger, they might want to direct some of that hurt and anger at their parents (who have totally sold them out) and Fox News for exploiting their pain just to paint a larger story about a vast liberal conspiracy against a “wholesome” Christian family (with parents who covered up a series of molestations).

Jessa also tells Fox News that Josh’s actions were “very wrong” but “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 can say this because I was one of the victims.” HE IS A CHILD MOLESTER. I don’t want to negate her feelings or further victimize her, but come on.

Photos courtesy of the Duggars’ Facebook.