Documentary examines sexual abuse in Amish communities and how survivors are silenced

A Shocking Silence: Uncovering the Truth Behind Amish Child Abuse

Deep within the insular world of the Amish, a shocking reality has been hidden for far too long. In the documentary "Keep Quiet and Forgive," a team of investigative journalists sheds light on the widespread issue of child abuse within Amish communities, where women are repeatedly victimized by deacons, uncles, fathers, and brothers.

The film follows the courageous stories of survivors who speak out against the perpetrators, often at great personal cost. The victims recall experiencing abuse as young girls, sometimes starting as early as nine years old. Those who confided in a trusted adult were told to keep the secret, even as the abuse continued.

Sarah McClure, a journalist who initially exposed the issue in Cosmopolitan, delves deeper into this complex problem. Her journey began when she met a formerly Amish woman who shared her story of abuse, emphasizing that it was all too common. The woman introduced McClure to numerous contacts, including Lizzie Hershberger, the primary subject of the documentary.

Hershberger's courage is evident as she pursued charges against her abuser and now accompanies other survivors in court. However, the Amish community has a way of silencing its victims. Crowds often show up to support the defendant and intimidate the survivors, making it an extremely difficult process for those who leave their communities.

Making a clean break from the Amish is nearly impossible due to the community's strict rules and lack of access to modern technology. Starting anew means facing a harsh reality – no ID, no driver's license, and unfamiliar systems to navigate. The film highlights the work of organizations like Safe Communities, which aims to provide support to survivors.

McClure hopes to take the documentary on a "barn tour" of Amish communities after its PBS debut, providing resources, information, and experts for those affected. She believes that documentaries have the potential for significant social impact, going beyond just showcasing a film.

As the story continues to unfold, one thing is clear – it's time to break the silence surrounding child abuse in the Amish community. The courage of these survivors will inspire change, and their voices deserve to be heard.

man i'm so done with this documentary its like theyre trying to sweep this under the rug and people are still just gonna sit there and accept that this is just part of being amish newsflash: child abuse isnt acceptable period regardless of where you're from and if youre some kinda "survivor" who's speaking out about it, kudos to you but we need more than just a documentary to make a change here we need concrete actions like real policy changes and actual support for these victims its not enough just to show the problem on screen

man this documentary stuff is really bringing up some dark realities we dont wanna see but need 2 c 2 b real about it .. i was reading about dis amish thing n i feel so bad 4 the kids who hav gone thru dis i cant even imagine how hard it must b 2 deal wit abuse n still be expected 2 keep quiet its like theyre trapped n dont know wat 2 do ... safe communities is doing some good work here but u feel me, its not easy 2 escape once u're in these kinda situations

THE AMISH COMMUNITY NEEDS TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO PROTECTING CHILDREN!!! I MEAN, 9 YEARS OLD GIRLS ALREADY BEING ABUSED BY THE PEOPLE THEY TRUST MOST?! THAT'S JUST WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS . AND WHAT'S EVEN WORSE IS THAT THESE GIRLS ARE TOLD TO KEEP SILENT, LIKE THEIR LIVES DON'T MATTER!!! WE NEED MORE DOCUMENTARIES LIKE THIS ONE TO RISE UP AND GIVE A VOICE TO THOSE WHO'VE BEEN SILENCED FOR TOO LONG . IT'S TIME FOR THE AMISH COMMUNITY TO STEP FORWARD AND SAY "WE'RE GONNA DO BETTER"!!!

OMG, I am literally shaking with rage rn ! Like, how can a community so supposedly "peaceful" and "simple living" allow this level of depravity and trauma towards its own women?! The thought of those poor girls being abused for YEARS on end, just to be told to keep quiet and forgive, is just...

And the Amish community's response? Silencing their victims even more! It's like they're trying to cover up the whole thing with a veil of "we don't want outsiders looking in" nonsense. Newsflash: just because we're not part of your "inner circle" doesn't mean we won't care about what happens to those being hurt

I am SO grateful for journalists like Sarah McClure who are willing to take on this story and give a voice to the survivors. And Safe Communities is doing amazing work, too! These women deserve our support, not just sympathy. They need to know that we're there for them, and that they're not alone.

I don't care about the "rules" or "traditions" of the Amish community – what matters is that those women are being hurt and need help. We need to be calling out this abuse, not turning a blind eye . The silence needs to end!

This documentary is like, super scary because who would've thought that this was happening in a community that seems so peaceful? I mean, we all know about the 'simple living' thing, but at what cost? These survivors are literally fighting for their lives and it's heartbreaking . And can you even imagine having to start over from scratch after escaping? No ID, no driver's license... it's like, how do they even survive? The fact that they're silencing these victims is just, wow . We need more awareness about this issue and support for the survivors. It's time to break the silence

I'm so sick of all this stuff being swept under the rug! Child abuse is never okay, period. These poor girls were literally told to keep quiet, like it's no big deal. Newsflash: it's HUGE! And what really gets me is that these women are basically prisoners in their own communities because of strict rules and lack of access to modern tech. Like, what even is the point of living if you can't leave? It's heartbreaking to see them struggling so much.

We need more awareness and support for these survivors! The documentary sounds like a game-changer, and I'm all about it . We should be amplifying their voices, not silencing them. And it's time for us to take action – let's get involved with organizations like Safe Communities that are working tirelessly to help these women rebuild their lives.

Ugh, can't believe what's going on with those Amish folks ! Child abuse is just so shocking and unacceptable, especially when it happens within a community that's supposed to be all about peace and love . I mean, who does this kind of thing? Deacons, uncles, fathers, and brothers... it's like they think they're above the law . The fact that survivors are being told to keep quiet is just devastating . It's time for those who have been abused to come forward and share their stories, and I'm so grateful that journalists like Sarah McClure are doing just that . We need more awareness about this issue, and I hope the documentary "Keep Quiet and Forgive" helps spread the word #AmishChildAbuse #BreakTheSilence #JusticeForSurvivors

this documentary is like super needed , i mean how can we just sit back and ignore that our communities are literally failing children? the fact that they're basically being told to keep quiet and forgive those who hurt them is, like, totally messed up . i'm glad sarah mcclure is speaking out about this and trying to bring some light to it. those survivors deserve all the support in the world . it's so brave of lizzie hershberger to come forward and fight for justice. we need more people like her to help create change .

I'm really disturbed by this documentary. I mean, who knew that something so horrific was going on in a group that's supposed to be all about peace and harmony? It's like they're living in a bubble, cutting themselves off from the rest of society. And those children... nine years old, being abused, kept quiet because it's "our way". No wonder they're struggling to leave, with no ID, no driver's license... it's like they're starting from scratch. The community's silence is just as damaging as the abuse itself. We need to shine a light on this and support those who are brave enough to speak out

OMG, I'm like totally shocked they're finally talking about this ... I mean, who knew the Amish were so... secretive ? Anyway, it's kinda sad that these girls had to go through all that trauma just because of some dude in their community . And can you even imagine trying to leave with no ID and everything? It's like they're trapped or something. The documentary sounds pretty cool, though - I love that it's shedding light on this important issue ... hopefully it'll make a difference soon .

I'm seeing this documentary and I think its crazy how some communities try to keep things quiet, even when kids are being hurt . It's like, we know what's right vs wrong, but sometimes the silence is just as loud as the abuse itself. We need to support these survivors and help them find a way out of that toxic world without feeling like they're lost or alone .

this documentary is giving me so much pause... i think we need to acknowledge that just because its an "insular world" doesn't mean the issue isn't real or valid. child abuse can happen anywhere & the fact that these survivors are being silenced is just heartbreaking . its time for us to listen & amplify their stories, not just offer a sympathetic ear from afar. lets hope this documentary sparks some real change

Man, this documentary stuff is crazy... I mean, who would've thought that something so dark could be hiding in plain sight in one of our most tight-knit communities? It's wild that the Amish have this whole "keep quiet and forgive" vibe going on, but at what cost? I'm thinking about all these women who were traumatized as young girls and had to keep it a secret... it's just not right. And now they're trying to take down these abusers and start fresh, but it's like, good luck with that? Starting over with no ID or driver's license is basically impossible. I'm glad there are orgs like Safe Communities helping them out. We gotta keep shining a light on this stuff so people know what's really going on