I started to do some research on child abuse like I do quite often, when I came along an article regarding Amish and child abuse cases. Amish believe not to teach their children as we do for instances sex education and science. One individual reports that they don't want their children to learn because the more they learn the more apt they are to leave. In 1900 Amish fathers went to prison instead of agreeing to send their kids to public schools. Sexual abuse is quite often ignored in the Amish community not only by the families but as well by the church itself. I ran across an article that really troubled me talking about two girls in an amish community that was being molested. The first was, Mary, she was being molested by her father to have no one believe her. Later her brothers would molest her. The other situation was, Anna, she was as well being molested by her father. She decided to drop hints to individuals outside the community when it was investigated the caseworker left. In return Anna was taken to a dentist to get some teeth pulled. Her mother instructed the dentist to pull all of her teeth and told her "I guess you won't be talking anymore". Neither of her parents was ever charged. Amish believe that its not the social workers bussiness, however the social workers must make it their bussiness.
Norman Byler molested his 8 daughters and 1 young lady outside the family. Norman's youngest daughter tried everything to make sure he wasn't allowed alone with kids. Four years later Norman molested three of his granddaughters. His family sent him to Mercy Medical Center in Ohio, where he received one week of counseling and given medication. The medication he didn't take. The father of the grandchildren believed this helped his father in law. After this dried blood was noticed on another one of his granddaughters after she was taken to the barn by Norman. Many of these cases get off with probation or a mistermeder because of the religion. You can read these story's further here if you like.
Have you ever wondered why when you see an Amish child is so good behaved in public? They take "spare the rod spoil the child" literally. These children are often beat with leather belts, whips, etc. One child for sticking his tongue out at the table received a needle in his tongue. Bishops literally teach them to beat their children to make them become well behaved adults. I found a episode of 20/20 that I seen here while back that talks to individuals that left the Amish community. You may watch it here
Why these individuals didn't get treated as any other person I don't understand. I look at this as them acting as a cult and abuse is abuse no matter what your religion is. It is discusting and I don't know how an individual can sit there and say they serve god and yet beat their child till they bleed, or molest them. Do you feel the Amish should be treated then anyone else because of their religions? Do you feel this is abuse?
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Comments: 112
You'd better believe this is abuse. As a small child the abuse started to myself and continued on throughout the years following. I was physically abused along with it. It has taken its toll on my mind over the years.
People, wake up and watch the children! Protect them with your very lives if necessary. I, for one, would have been so grateful if just one person had stood up for me and understood.
Barbara S.
Reminds me of my uncle.. He says he serves God, but how can he possibly believe to beat a child? He's telling me its in the Bible.. let me ask, where in the Bible does it say spare the rod spoil the child or something like that? I swear he is wrong!!! But I haven't proven him wrong yet.
The reason I mention this is because I once attended an independant church which had at least 2,500 members. One child was abused, and that was very, very evil, but not the fault of the church. The newpapers painted us as a cult, when only the two parents of the child were at fault. Our pastor never preached anything that would even resemble tolerating abuse.
Still, I agree 100% that the law of the land should punish any abuser, regardless of their proclaimed religion. And there are abusers who claim to be many religions.
Again, I hate to clump people into a group, but this is certainly sad. Thanks for the update and keep up the good work in getting the information out.
"i don't care who you are or where you are from... " NO ONE has the right to
do these things to children... or anyone else.... disgusting...
Please dear God...help all these innocent people....
Angel
I'm sure you didn't mean it that way.
The sad truth is that people do not care. If it is incontinent for them to address a situation, they just do nothing. If it is so totally abhorrent to them, they disbelieve and write the person off as a liar. If they do believe, it has to be the fault of the abused, much like the mother who had her daughter's teeth removed.
Our country has not changed, our world has not changed, since the caveman. Women and children are owned. Property to be dealt with as their owners see fit.
WwW.SparkleTags.Com
I can only hope that somehow, some way a social workers will be able to get into these communities and help these children.
Not all of the Amish communitites are like this though...
Abuse is abuse weather it is verbal, physical,mental. and should be addressed as such,letting these religions get away with abuse is wrong. And I say religions because it is not just Amish.
Have you ever KNOWN any Amish or Mennonite people? I have. They are very religious and God-fearing. The sort of thing you describe would get them shunned from the community if truly known... and it's possible that such a group of shunned individuals might go off and start their own enclave, CALLING themselves Amish but actually deviant from the rest.
They should be accountable. remember the movie "Witness" Amish have to be subject to the same laws as the rest of us. Indian's have their own law on Reservations but are still subject to Federal law of the USA.
Aesop for Wednesday, January 23
I hate child abuse and molestation. My own daughter was raped at a very early age. And being a small town, we all knew the perpetratore once he was apprehended. I don't remember the sentence but I guess he's probably out now.
With that said, I believe in child discipline and I really don't like or understand most social workers today. And to me discipline should be more than a 'time-out' in the corner. We (my siblings and I) were spanked if the offense warranted it. This was not abuse.
As for the Amish. Your article shows a point of view which I'm sure exists. However, in 1978 I spent three weeks among the Amish. One of the best memories and times of my life. In those three weeks I witness a child or two being disciplined (not abused) and I also withness a lot of friendship, worship and God-fearing.
Just my two-cents from personal experience.
First of all, to the girl that calls herself Michelle C., it sounds so absurd for you to say that you hate ALL social workers! How miserable you must be. I am a social worker who has dedicated my life to helping abused children. I work very hard to discover the whole truth and then provide the help that is needed to every child that I can. The fact that there are sometimes bad social workers is no different than the fact that there are bad teachers, doctors, cops, etc. I about died when you said we were just in it for the money! Do you have any clue how much social workers make? Any, Renee,
this is a subject that I care very deeply about. Until I began working with the Amish community I had no idea that this was a problem. I really don't think it is any more prevalent in the Amish community than in the rest of our society, it is just that they are so isolated and feel so strongly that no help should be asked for or accepted by the outside world, therefore the abuse continues and the children suffer for years without much hope for help. There are many, many, wonderful people in the Amish community, but like everywhere there are some seriously troubled individuals too. It is good that people are now more aware of the problem.
First, let me speak to the ones that responded to this artical with any kind of unbelief, or saying that the Amish religion is not a cult. You have no clue!! No, really, you have no clue. Unless you were born Amish, and lived in the system for many years, you have no clue. The kind of brainwashing every child goes through growing up Amish is so dramatic that people would never turn a blind eye to it if it were not covered by a very effective cover, "The Amish"
I am not writing this out of bitterness, but out of concern for the inosent children that are suffering and will continue to suffer if we don't do something. Praise God I was never an abuser, but saw soo much of it. And yes, if it becomes public, they will excommunicate the person for a few weeks of a month, at which time the abuser is given full privaliges again, and nobody can hold it against him anymore. But most of the cases never get public, because the bishop or person that the victom talks to, just shruggs it off, and Nobody is allowed to talk to anybody outside of the religion about such issues or they are at risk of being excommunicated.
Since I have gotten Saved by the Grace of God, and excommunicated because of my belief in salvation by grace, I have been in court several times when Amish abusers were on trial, informing the judge what really goes on in the religion, and that there own punishment system does not work for these kind of preditors.
There have been a few times that the guys have gotten what they deserved, but other times the athourities didn't even want to talk to me about the issue, because they had already made up there mind to let them off because they are "good people". I am going to court soon against one of my brothers that has been charged with molesting young children. I hope he gets the max.
And yes, of course not all Amish are abusers, but maybe a lot more than you thought. And yes, they appear to be very Godly people when observed from the outside, but the inside of the religion is full of dead mens bones.
A famous writer once wrote; "The only thing that needs to happen for evil to take over, is for good people to do nothing." With Gods help I am trying to inform the public of the truth about the matter, and urging athourities to stop letting people off the hook because of there religion. Thanks again to all who will make their voice heard. Eli
I did before see and watch the 20/20 report on abuse that occured in some of the Amish communities (I do actually have it on videotape as well in fact).
Of course I am sure that some people who watched the special did wind up thinking that all Amish families are abusive and I know that not all of them are abusive, like I said I have met some pretty nice Amish people.
Of course that does not mean we should be ignoring the fact that abuse has indeed unfortunately gone on in some of the Amish communities, and I do agree that even an Amish person who engages in such actions should be prosecuted for abuse if he/she has engaged in abuse.
I do remember when my Aunt who wound up a Jehovah's Witness was babysitting me and it was not yet such and such time on my clock while her watch was saying it was, and argument occured too, she slapped me and I wound up crying and after this my Parents came home, I told them what happened and they would up letting me stay up later than usual.
Ok yeah my Parents weren't perfect themselves (even my Dad had threatened to slap me before, although last time he ever did that, I pretty much made crystal clear how much I was not going to tolerate that), but still my goodness my Parents did take my side in the incident that night, and my Dad said he would talk to my Aunt about the whole thing.
My Aunt's son actually moved out on his Mom when he was 16 and moved in with his Grandparents on his Dad's side, and ok there are some things in the story of what happened that I do indeed side with my Aunt on, but there are some things in the story of that happened that I do side with my Cousin on as well.
My Aunt did briefly shun her son for the fact he departed from the Jehovah's Witnesses as did her so called friends in the Jehovah's Witnesses (but my Aunt eventually got disfellowshipped herself, she even tried to kill herself as well, thank God someone was there to call for help or she would have been dead for sure).
These are the known and how many are unknown behind closed doors. We just have to get some decency in our society and people willing to speak out. My mom was abused by her uncle and when the family found out, they treated her like she was the perpetrator. She was FOUR at the time, hardly a vamp. As long as people protect these evil people, our children will continue to be victims. I have no mercy in my heart for anyone that abuses a child. None!
Before I prove this I have a few questions for you.
1. Why is it you pick this one article on Gather right after you join to continue coming to?
2. Why do you pick mine?
3. Why is it that you haven't posted anything yourself?
Just really curious to know is all
Now for the proof not sure how many you would like but I am sure I can find plenty for you. Amish has no more rights then Catholics have you got that?
Amish man is sent back to jail