Little People Big World star Jacob Roloff claims he was molested by one of the show’s executive producers.
The accusation came in a statement released by the reality TV star on Instagram yesterday.
He captioned the post “Libertad”, which is the Spanish word for “Freedom”.
“It is often much easier to think about things than it is to talk about them, and so this disclosure has been delayed, but through the delay I have found the fortitude and words,” his statement began, before he boldly addressed the accusations of molestation.
Jacob recounts ‘long grooming process’
“As a child, after what I realize now was a long grooming process, I was molested by an executive field producer for ‘Little People Big World,’ Chris Cardamone,” he wrote.
Jacob added that while he doesn’t plan on sharing the details of his alleged molestation publicly, he said he hoped Cardamone was “never allowed around children again.”
“I first began contemplating this statement when he texted me years later in November 2015. I choose to disclose it now as it remains a traumatic memory that needs to be exorcised of any further power over my development,” he added.
Jacob is the youngest of Matt and Amy’s children, who also include his twin brothers Jeremy and Zach, as well as sister, Molly.
In his statement, he went on to say that his experience has not defined how he sees the world.
“By revealing this, I may be more fully understood and my perspective on issues such as child sexual abuse, child exploitation, and the collateral costs of reality television may be received more clearly. Although, I would have to add that this experience has not solely defined my point of view on any of these issues, nor has it defined my worldview in general.
“This may also serve as a reminder that the experience of sexual assault, in all of its iterations, can happen to anyone at anytime and is a far more prevalent reality than our current social stigma allows us to talk about,” he continued.
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Jacob answers the question ‘Why not speak out sooner?’
The second half of his statement contained answers to the question “why not speak out sooner?”
He explained, “A child must process, and I needed silence and time.”
Jacob then delved into his own questions surrounding the impact of reality television and society’s obsession with watching people.
“I continue my own contemplation on the vouyeurism [sic] involved in the entire enterprise of reality television — a massive spectacle of drama and pain and argument and invasion, with a little joy sprinkled over, that viewers watch completely disassociated from the complex humans inside the simplistic ‘characters’ they see on TV.
“Yet, there is no inherent casual connection between reality television production and childhood trauma. We are still sprinting ahead with the enterprise deaf, dumb, and blind, asking for forgiveness later, instead of asking harder preliminary questions ourselves.”
“The profits were indeed sweet. The actual experience was more complicated”, he added. Jacob then jumped into some tough, reflective questions including, “Is it simply taken as granted that we should be capable of watching someone grow up week by week on TV?” and “How are material amenities weighed against the subjective psychological affects?”
Jacob wrapped up his statement by sharing that he doesn’t place any of the blame on his family.
“I am certain that this is a positive moment for me, and another step toward a brighter future,” he concluded.
Little People Big World is currently on hiatus on TLC.