Duck Dynasty’s Lisa Robertson reveals childhood abuse, extramarital affair

Duck Dynasty‘s Lisa Robertson’s childhood abuse set her on a path marred by insecurities and relationship problems, she reveals in The Women of Duck Commander: Surprising Insights from the Women Behind the Beards About What Makes This Family Work.

In the collaborative book, Lisa explains an extended family member who lived with her grandparents began molesting her when she was seven.

“Because I spent so much time at my grandparents’ house, I was easy prey for him,” Lisa said of the man, adding he abused drugs and alcohol. “My earliest memory of being molested was at the age of seven when he started to do things to me, things that made me feel bad and dirty.”

Lisa said he threatened harm if she told anyone, which led to the abuse continuing until she was 14. At that point, she turned the tables by saying she would tell her dad who would kill him.

Even after the physical violations, Lisa said the emotional pain remained fresh.

“Being abused did something to the way I thought about myself and about men in general. It set into motion some unhealthy thought processes,” she explained. “I unconsciously began to believe my purpose in life was to please men.”

She went on to marry Alan Robertson, the oldest son from the Duck Dynasty family, approximately 30 years ago.

^ Alan and Lisa Robertson’s wedding day with Alan’s brothers and mom.

Even after welcoming daughters Anna and Alex, Lisa said she struggled with sex and relationship issues — leading her to have a 14-month affair in the 1990s.

“Alan was devastated and eventually, so was I… When he first began to suspect something, I denied it,” said Lisa. “When Alan discovered hard evidence of my behavior, I finally broke down and told him everything.”

Following the revelation, Lisa explained Alan asked her to move out of the house and take responsibility by admitting her misstep to their children and church. She also began meeting with a therapist to explore how her childhood abuse was still affecting her life and decisions. Most importantly, she says, she turned to Jesus for guidance.

Lisa and Alan reunited after two months and exchanged new wedding bands to “signify a new beginning.” She said the experience also taught her to fall back on her religious beliefs when encountering challenges. That, she hopes, is the lesson other abuse survivors will learn from her story.

“I want all abuse survivors to know they have hope. They can have hope for complete healing, hope for great relationships, and hope for a wonderful life, free from the lingering effects of the trauma they have suffered.”