Jana Duggar is a 25-year-old woman who still relies on her parents — she lives at home, and she doesn’t have a paying job. Without her parents’ monetary support, she’d be in big trouble. However, it’s important to point out that it’s not her fault that she’s in this situation — she was raised to believe that women shouldn’t leave home until they’re married.
Now, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are in danger of losing their 19 Kids and Counting paycheck because of a sex scandal involving their oldest son, Josh Duggar. As the Inquisitr previously reported, he sexually molested four of his sisters when he was 14-years-old, and his parents tried to cover up what he did by handling the matter themselves instead of getting the proper authorities involved. Josh was never charged with a crime, and he was allowed to continue living alongside his victims as if nothing had happened.
Now, Josh’s actions could negatively effect his siblings more than they already have — Jana’s parents will have less cash to spend on their kids if their TLC show gets cancelled.
Jana Duggar has been dubbed “ Cinderella Duggar ” by fans who hate the way she’s treated by her family — they believe that her parents force her to do too much babysitting and housework. After her younger sisters, Jessa Seewald and Jill Dillard, got married and moved out of the house, this left “sister mom” Jana with even more responsibilities. During the 19 Kids and Counting tell-all special, Jana admitted that she’s been spending more time taking care of the youngest Duggars now that Jessa and Jill have moved out.
Fans assume that Jana Duggar would love to ditch her live-in nanny job to do something else, and there have been rumors that she wants to go to college . However, she hasn’t left home, and some 19 Kids and Counting fans think that her decision to stay single and live with her siblings has something to do with Josh Duggar’s underage sex scandal.
I always felt that Jana Duggar looked depressed & shut down. No wonder she stays home. She needs to protect her littlest siblings.
— Miss Tina (@Miss__Tina) May 22, 2015
I knew there was something wrong with Jana and Jinger Duggar but couldn’t put a finger on it. Now it all makes sense… #19kidsandcancelled
— Daniel Bradshaw (@DCB316) May 22, 2015
this could explain why Jana Duggar has no interest in marrying since her brother probably did this horrible thing to her
— AG (@aannagalvan) May 22, 2015
Now we know why Jana Duggar hasn’t left home yet. My guess is she’s staying to protect her young sisters from any other pervs in the family.
— Anne (@DuckTales89) May 22, 2015
Disgusted by josh duggar. Calling for tlc to immediately remove 19 kids from their programming. Now we understand why Jana isn’t married.
— Laura Lillicotch (@LauraLillicotch) May 22, 2015
Poor #JanaDuggar — her introverted oddness makes so much more sense now that we know #JoshDuggar molested her and she had no counseling.
— Jess S (@JessS324) May 22, 2015
@jana_duggar @JingerDuggar22 the public supports you whether u chose to marry or get a degree/job Be you! Live your life!
— Lisa Hall (@lisahall111) May 22, 2015
As you can see, many of Jana’s fans think that she was abused by Josh Duggar. However, according to a report by Gawker , a source purporting to have knowledge of Josh’s incestuous behavior once said that Jana wasn’t one of his victims. If this is the case, it’s possible that there’s some truth to the speculation that she’s staying home to make sure that none of her youngest siblings suffer the same fate as the four sisters that Josh molested. If the molestation took place while Jana was babysitting, she might also feel like it was partly her fault that it happened under her watch. She would have been just 12-years-old at the time Josh abused his first victim.
Some 19 Kids and Counting fans think Jana Duggar should ditch her family now that their dark secret has come to light, and others have expressed an interest in a revamped show that focuses solely on the older Duggar daughters.
#NewTLCShows Breaking Duggar: Jana & Jinger Escape To New York
— Justagirl (@karmac831) May 23, 2015
@jana_duggar honey this your chance! Run away and be free!! The world welcomes you!!!!
— Cappy (@Cappycann09) May 22, 2015
@TLC please don’t punish @janaduggar or @jillmdillard for @joshduggar behavior. We love them and would want them to have their own show.
— Charlene Baskins (@dredgecick) May 22, 2015
Let’s give Jana her own show called “Breaking Duggar” @TLC .
— millie (@mstewartsloan) May 22, 2015
If Jana Duggar & the rest don’t run for their lives now they will NEVER get away from those SICK TWISTED parents of their’s. RUN RUN RUN
— Kerin (@cavsfanaholic) May 22, 2015
Run in the night, Jana Duggar! Come to LA, I will take you in and introduce you to weed and feminism!
— Katie Walsh (@heyyybrother) May 21, 2015
Jana Duggar might not be running away from home anytime soon, but there’s a possibility that she’ll get to star on a Josh-less version of 19 Kids and Counting . Reruns of the show were recently pulled from TLC’s schedule, and many fans thought that this was the writing on the wall — the move made it seem like the network was about to cancel the show for good. However, according to TMZ , TLC is allegedly considering keeping the show on the air and simply cutting Josh Duggar and his family from it.
If 19 Kids and Counting doesn’t get the ax, do you think Jana Duggar or one of her sisters will finally break their family’s patriarchal rules by leaving home without being married? Or will Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar continue to force their kids to live by their oppressive guidelines?
[Images via Duggar Family Facebook , Instagram ]