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Jessa Seewald

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Jessa Seewald
Seewald in 2007
Born
Jessa Lauren Duggar

(1992-11-04) November 4, 1992 (age 32)
Tontitown, Arkansas, U.S.
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2004–present
Spouse
Benjamin Seewald
​
​
(m. 2014)​
[1]
Children5
FatherJim Bob Duggar
Relatives18 siblings including Josh, Jana, Jill, Jinger, and Joy-Anna

Jessa Lauren Seewald (née Duggar; born November 4, 1992)[2] is an American television personality. She is known for being part of the cast of TLC's reality shows 19 Kids and Counting (2008–2015) and Counting On (2015–2021). She also co-authored a book with her sisters Jana, Jill and Jinger titled Growing Up Duggar: It's All About Relationships.[3]

Career

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Television

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Seewald began her public life as a member of the family featured in the documentary 14 Children and Pregnant Again (2004), on the Discovery Health Channel. Another documentary, Raising 16 Children was produced on the same channel in 2006, when her sister Johannah was born. This was followed by another feature, On the Road with 16 Children about a family cross-country trip.[4][5][6]

On September 29, 2008, 19 Kids and Counting (formerly 18 Kids and Counting and 17 Kids and Counting) began as a regular series based on the Duggar family.[7] The series was cancelled in 2015 due to her brother Josh's scandals.[8] Another series, Jill & Jessa: Counting On, starring Seewald and her sister Jill, premiered later in 2015.[9][10] The series was cancelled in 2021 due to Josh Duggar's arrest.

Book

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With three of her sisters, Seewald co-wrote Growing up Duggar, a book published by Howard Books, in 2014. The book describes growing up in the Duggar home, social relationships, and their religious beliefs.[11][12]

Personal life

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Seewald was born in Tontitown, Arkansas USA, as the fifth child and the third daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 19 children. She married her boyfriend of 14 months following a 3 month long engagement. They have five children.[13][14] In 2023, she revealed she had a miscarriage in December 2022.[15]

In a June 2015 interview on The Kelly File, Seewald identified herself as one of the girls sexually abused by her oldest brother, Josh Duggar, when he was a teenager. She described the abuse as "mild inappropriate touching," saying it occurred while she was sleeping and fully clothed. Seewald further stated she became aware of the abuse after her parents told her what had occurred following her brother's confession. While Seewald described the abuse as "very wrong," she decried those referring to her brother as a "child molester" or a "pedophile" or a "rapist", saying, "that is so overboard, and a lie, really." Regarding the police reports describing the abuse while she was a minor being released to the media, Seewald said, "the system that was set up to protect kids...it's greatly failed."[16][17][18]

References

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  1. ^ Alicia C. Dennis. "Jessa marries Ben Seewald". People.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  2. ^ "Family Scrapbook- The Girls". The Duggar Family (official website). Archived from the original on March 18, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  3. ^ Messer, Lesley. "Inside the Duggars' Relationship Advice Book", ABC News, February 20, 2014.
  4. ^ "14 children and pregnant again". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  5. ^ "Raising 16 children". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "On the road with 16 children". figure8films.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  7. ^ "19 kids and counting". tv.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  8. ^ Rothman, Michelle; Messer, Lesley (July 16, 2015). ""19 Kids and Counting" Cancelled: The Duggars Speak Out". ABC News. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  9. ^ "Welcome Back Jill & Jessa". TLC. October 18, 2015. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  10. ^ Eglash, Joanne (November 17, 2015). "Jessa Duggar Uses Jana Duggar as Babysitter, but did Jana Act as Babysitter in Risky Home Birth?". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on November 18, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  11. ^ Susan Pierce (March 17, 2014). "In new book, Duggar daughters discuss relationships". Timesfreepress.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  12. ^ "Interview With Jill Duggar Prior To The Publishing Of The Duggar Girls' Book, "Growing Up Duggar"". CrossMap. Archived from the original on June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  13. ^ Calvario, Liz (February 18, 2021). "Jessa Duggar and Husband Ben Seewald Expecting Baby No. 4 (Exclusive)". ET Online.
  14. ^ Speakman, Kimberlee (December 23, 2023). "Jessa Duggar Welcomes Baby No. 5, a Boy: 'There Were So Many Emotions'". People.
  15. ^ Speakman, Kimberlee. "Jessa Duggar Reveals She Suffered a Miscarriage: 'I Just Immediately Started Crying'". People. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "Exclusive: Duggar sisters want to 'set the record straight'". Fox News. June 5, 2015. Archived from the original on June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  17. ^ Caitlin Keating (June 3, 2015). "Jill Dillard Speaks Out: Jessa and I 'Are Victims' of Molestation". People Magazine. Archived from the original on June 5, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  18. ^ Abby Ohlheiser (June 3, 2015). "Josh Duggar molested four of his sisters and a babysitter, parents tell Fox News". Washington Post blog. Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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