Why Amy Duggar Says Anna Will Never Leave Husband Josh
The Duggars were once known best for being a massive reality TV family, pushed into the spotlight in 2008 with the show "17 Kids and Counting" — eventually updated to "19 Kids and Counting" to reflect their growing brood — as well as spin-off shows like "Counting On" (via Us Weekly). With time, however, the Duggars started landing in tabloid headlines. While their unconventional lifestyle and conservative views on sex and contraception may have initially sparked criticism, nothing sent shockwaves like the Josh Duggar sexual abuse scandal.
According to Insider, the Duggar son was found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography in December 2021, after years of sexual abuse and cheating allegations. The allegations stretch back to 2002 when a police report was filed after the family patriarch, Jim Bob Duggar, contacted authorities to report his son for fondling allegedly multiple family members on numerous occasions.
Though Josh did appear on the family's reality series alongside his 18 siblings until it was canceled in 2015 (via IMDb), some of the Duggars have since distanced themselves from him, according to Us Weekly. His wife, Anna Duggar, however, seems to be sticking by his side.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Religion may keep Josh and Anna together
Josh Duggar's cousin Amy Duggar has blasted Josh ever since his scandal went public, calling him "sinister" and "a fraud,' per Us Weekly. She even encouraged his wife, Anna Duggar, to divorce him. Speaking in November 2022, Amy told The U.S. Sun why she thinks Anna will never leave. "[The Duggars' church teaches] your vows can not be broken, you are making a life decision, and no matter what happens, that is your husband and you have to respect him, love him, walk beside him, and in all honesty be underneath them," she explained. "It's sad — so sad — and it just breaks my heart to think about it." Amy also revealed that she offered to help Anna several times but never received a response.
Other Duggar family members appear to share a thorny view of Anna since Josh's sentencing. "The Duggar family fully supports Anna, but it's complicated. There are a lot of hurt feelings over what Josh did," a source recently told In Touch Weekly.