The TV Column

TLC show on child sexual abuse airs at 9 tonight

Josh Duggar lobbies for an anti-abortion issue last year on the steps of the state Capitol in Little Rock.
Josh Duggar lobbies for an anti-abortion issue last year on the steps of the state Capitol in Little Rock.

I guess we can thank Josh Duggar for this one.

Maybe something good will come out of the reality star's recent implosion.

TLC, former home of the now canceled 19 Kids and Counting, will broadcast Breaking the Silence at 9 p.m. today. The hour special will air commercial-free and deal with "the challenging journey faced by those affected by child sexual abuse, as well as offer useful information where people can turn for help."

The documentary, set to include two Duggar daughters, is part of a face-saving public relations campaign by TLC. It's intended to soften the one-two whammy of the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo scandal (Mama June Shannon started dating a man convicted of child molestation), followed by the revelation that Duggar had fondled four of his sisters and a baby sitter when he was a teen.

Under pressure, TLC pulled the plug on 19 Kids on July 16. About his teenage behavior, Duggar admitted he "acted inexcusably," said he was "deeply sorry," then resigned his position with the Family Research Council.

The 27-year-old Josh, eldest of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar's 19 kids, had been a lobbyist for the socially conservative FRC, which has the mission "to advance faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian world view."

Josh's troubles didn't end after he and his wife, Anna, packed up and moved back to Springdale.

Earlier this month, hackers stole customer information from the Ashley Madison adultery website and posted it online. Ashley Madison, which boasts "over 39,385,000 anonymous members," specializes in helping people have extramarital affairs. It labels itself, "the most famous name in infidelity and married dating." Its slogan: "Life is short. Have an affair."

Duggar reportedly had two Ashley Madison accounts and is no longer anonymous.

After Duggar was outed, he issued another statement on the family website, duggarfamily.com: "I have been the biggest hypocrite ever. While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly over the last several years been viewing pornography on the Internet and this became a secret addiction and I became unfaithful to my wife."

He ended, "I deeply regret all the hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example. I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time."

In his own statement, FRC president Tony Perkins said, "We are grieved by Josh's conduct and the devastating impact of his pornography addiction and marital unfaithfulness."

Perkins added, "Josh's failures serve as a painful reminder of the destructive effects of not living with integrity. We are praying for the family."

Josh and Anna have four children, the youngest born last month. Will she leave him?

People magazine quotes a source "with ties to the family" as saying, "Anna will not leave him. As with her in-laws, she is turning more to her faith than ever. She and Josh are probably praying around the clock right now, I would assume."

All that sounds like the topic for another special.

Meanwhile, TLC's Breaking the Silence will point out that an estimated one in 10 children will be the victim of sexual abuse before the age of 18.

The special is in cooperation with two abuse prevention organizations -- RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and Darkness to Light (D2L), an organization that shares the inspiring stories of sexual abuse survivors.

Featured will be Erin Merryn, two-time child abuse survivor, advocate and the inspiration behind Erin's Law, which requires sexual abuse prevention education in public schools and has been enacted in 26 states.

"Like so many survivors, I ended up keeping it a secret for years," Merryn told People. "Now, as a mother with my own child, I want to make sure my children know how to speak up."

Also set to appear in the special are Jessa Duggar Seewald, 22, and Jill Duggar Dillard, 24, two of Josh's sisters.

TLC says the Duggar daughters will be shown at a prevention training session put on by D2L and "want to use their situation to help others and promote adult education for the protection of children."

On May 5, Jill and Derick Dillard starred in a two-hour 19 Kids episode, "Jill's Special Delivery," following the birth of their son. Israel Dillard was delivered via cesarean section April 6 after a 70-hour labor, weighing in at 9 pounds, 10 ounces.

Ironically, in the previous (April 28) episode, "Family Dinner," Jill and Derick visited Josh and Anna in Washington, "where Derick gets some fatherly advice" from Josh.

Jessa and Ben Seewald's first child is expected Nov. 1, their first wedding anniversary.

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:

mstorey@arkansasonline.com

Style on 08/30/2015

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