Posts Tagged ‘Amish sexual abuse’
How Prevalent is Sexual Abuse Among the Amish?
The question in my title today has been asked of me ever since I published my first book, Why I Left the Amish. Because my story was one of the first to expose both sexual and physical abuse in an Amish community, the answer was elusive. I would answer this question by saying that because…
Read MoreBook Launch and First Blog Review of Liberating Lomie
In her third memoir, Liberating Lomie, Furlong revisits her childhood memories from the vantage of a mother-daughter relationship. And that bond, like Amish culture, is complicated. ~Sabrina R Völz, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany Today is launch day for Liberating Lomie: Memoir of an Amish Childhood. It has finally arrived! I picked up the books from…
Read MoreRelease Date for Liberating Lomie
I am pleased to announce the release date for Liberating Lomie: Memoir of an Amish Childhood. June 22, 2022. Yay, Hurray! I plan to have books in hand to fulfill orders by the 22, and it will also be available through Amazon for retail sales, and through IngramSpark for wholesale to bookstores and libraries. You…
Read MoreFilm Series about Sexual Abuse among Plain People: “Sins of the Amish”
I have written this on my blog before about the Amish culture, and I will again. Abuse can only exist in the dark shadows of silence and secrecy that shroud abuse in all cultures. However, the insular nature of Plain communities makes the silence so thick, it becomes nearly impenetrable. This makes it dauntingly difficult…
Read MoreAmish Man Sentenced to 38-76 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse
On Friday David and I attended the sentencing of David Smucker in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, along with several other victim advocates. So often in court cases involving perpetrators among the Plain People, community members will show up in support of the perpetrator, leaving the victims feeling alone. We wanted to ensure this didn’t happen. This was…
Read MoreA Report Revealing Incest, Rape, Abuse, and Cover-Up in Amish Country
A recent article in Cosmopolitan Magazine by investigative reporter Sarah McClure, has given voice to those who have been sexually abused and silenced in Plain communities, and it has rocked the positions of “Amish defenders” as I call those who want to cling to the ideal image of the Amish. The article is graphic, which…
Read MoreSexual Abuse Case in Southern Minnesota
There is a story in the Southern Minnesota News about another case of sexual abuse in an Amish community. I have heard through a network of other advocates that the survivor of this abuse is looking for support in court tomorrow. Below is the call for help: URGENT HELP NEEDED: A survivor of felony rape…
Read MoreSexual Abuse in Amish Country
There have been a series of stories about incidences of sexual abuse in Amish communities in the past months. The following are the ones I know about. I am providing these as a point of reference because if you are like me, you cannot bear to read these all at once. Yesterday there was a…
Read MoreUpdate on the Case of Jeriah Mast
In my last blog post, I posed this question on the case of Jeriah Mast: Will he be prosecuted in the full extent of the law, or will the people around him aid in him taking a slick detour around the laws most people need to abide by? The latest development suggests that the latter…
Read MoreIn the Case of Jeriah Mast
If the Amish and Mennonite communities are not willing to protect their weakest and most vulnerable members, then they deserve to be dismantled and become a thing of the past. ~ Paul Yoder Yet another story has surfaced of sexual abuse related to Amish Mennonites. I first read it in Christian News. I commend Heather…
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