Founder of Faith-healing Clinic That "Treated" Josh Duggar Resigned over Accusations He Sexually Harassed 30 Teens and Young Women

By Chris Spargo
Daily Mail
May 22, 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3093250/Faith-healing-clinic-Josh-Duggar-sought-treatment-repeatedly-molesting-young-girls-founder-resigned-accusations-sexually-harassed-teenagers.html

The clinic that Josh Duggar attended after his parents learned he had molested multiple young girls has been revealed as the Basic Life Principles Training Center.

The facility, in Little Rock, Arkansas, which offers faith-based healing has been criticized by some who have attended their programs and also come under fire after a scandal involving founder Bill Gothard.

Gothard was accused in 2014 of sexually harassing women who worked at his ministry, including teenagers, and not reporting cases of child abuse.

He was never convicted of any crimes, but resigned soon after these claims became public.

Revealed: The facility Josh Duggar (above) attended for treatment after molesting young girls has been identified as Basic Life Principles Training Center

Bad rap: The center (above) offers faith-based healing and has come under fire by some who have attended their programs

Disgraced: Founder Bob Gothard (above) stepped down in 2014 after over 30 young women and teenagers came forward and accused him of sexual harassment

Radar Online spoke to Harold Walker who confirmed that Josh had attended the facility, but would not go into details about why or any treatment he received at the time.

He also said the entire family spent time working at the center.

'I really don’t remember the circumstances on why Josh came to our center,' said Walker.

'He came down … they used to work at the center, the entire family did.'

Walker is the family friend named in the police report of Josh's molestation who Jim Bob says he contacted about getting his son counseling.

Jim Bob told investigators in 2006 that Josh was there from March 17, 2003, until July 17, 2003.

There are facilities across the country, and some have been labelled as 'appalling' in their treatment of children.

According to the Basic Life website 'the programs offered and the specific focus at each training center varies.'

It also stated that 'the common goal is to strengthen individuals and families through sound Biblical teaching and character development opportunities and to demonstrate Christ’s love through serving.'

The non-denominational, Christian organization was founded in 1961 by Gothard.

The popular minister, who is close to politicians including Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, became caught up in a sex scandal of his own in 2014.

Over 30 young women and teenagers came forward claiming they were sexually harassed by Gothard.

There were also reports that Gothard, who also runs the ALERT Academy which most of the Duggard boys have attended, was not reporting cases of child abuse.

He has long been a friend of the Duggars and even been featured on their TLC show 19 Kids and Counting.

ALERT Academy was also featured on the show when Joseph attended, with the entire family showing up for his graduation ceremony.

The show also filmed Joseph as he participated in the nine week program, being asked to complete tasks such as putting a car back together using wood for axles and then having to legibly copy a passage from the Bible.

The cost for an eleven-week program is $2900.

Gothard also runs the ATI Family Conference the Duggar family attends every year in Big Sandy, Texas.

This year's conference took place last month and Jim Bob and Michelle were two of the featured speakers.

It said of the pair on the conference site; 'As parents of 19 kids, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar teach invaluable lessons about equipping and releasing their children to follow what God has called them to do.'

The family has been seen on their show attending the conference, and it is where Josh first met his wife Anna in 2006.

The future of that show is in jeopardy now however after a police report detailing Josh's molestation of five minors became public.

TLC announced it was pulling it from the air in a statement Friday afternoon, but has not said it would cancel the program.

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 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 apeparance 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.

Training day: Josh's brother Joseph (pictured above at his graduation) attended ALERT Academy, also run by Gothard

The family is however getting some support, with Mike Huckabee coming to their defense on Facebook, writing; 'Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family. Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, "inexcusable," but that doesn’t mean "unforgivable."

'He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story. Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things.'

The presidential hopeful closed his statement by saying; 'Today, Janet and I want to show up and stand up for our friends. Let others run from them. We will run to them with our support.'

TLC'S CHILD MOLESTER PROBLEM

The Duggar child molestation scandal is just the latest in a long line of incidents involving inappropriate behavior by a TLC star with a minor.

-Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: The show was cancelled last year after photos emerged of star June Shannon, better known as Mama June, with her ex Mark McDaniel. McDaniel had just been released from jail at the time after serving time for molesting an 8-year-old girl. That girl was one of Shannon's daughters.

-Sons of Guns: Gunsmith and former Marine Will Hayden was charged with raping a 12-year-old girl in 2014, forcing TLC to quickly cancel the reality show. That girl was revealed to be his own daughter, and shortly after his other daughter came forward she too had been raped by Hayden when she was 12-years-old. He is currently awaiting trial.

-Cheer Perfection: Another reality the network had to cancel following a scandal, this time involving mother Andrea Clevenger who received two 10 year prison sentences when she was found guilty of having multiple sexual encounters with a boy in 2013 who was just 13.

-Cake Boss: Remigio Gonzalez, who was married to the sister of the show's title character Buddy Valastro, received nine years in prison in 2012 after he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl. While he did appear on that show, by the time these charges were brought against him he was no longer a character on the program.