Mary Byler grew up in an Amish household, where she was repeatedly abused by her father and brother from the age of 4 or 5. She repeatedly told her mother, who blamed Mary for the abuse, “If only you had prayed more, these bad things wouldn’t have happened to you.”
People are familiar with the Amish community through shows like TLC Breaking Amish. But, it only allows viewers to see members of the Amish community abandon their traditional lives and adopt the English way of life. But Peacock’s new show Sins Of The Amish tackles much darker stories than what’s typically shown on TV.
After the show premiered, Mary posted on her Facebook page, “Thank you Linda. I appreciate all the work you do behind the scenes. You are an amazing person who has contributed so much to the proper information about the Amish as well as abuse prevention resources.”
Mary Byler on the Sins of the Amish
Peacock’s New Documentary The Sins of the Amish uncovers some truths that are far more disturbing than what is often portrayed. In the show, four former female members of the traditional Amish and Mennonite Christian communities speak out about a toxic pattern of sexual abuse and shaming that has existed in America for hundreds of years.
Along with the sexual abuse, it also revealed details of incestuous relationships. Mary Byler was one of the women featured on the show. According to the show, Amish leaders led young women to believe that raping and incest were not only normal, but were always the girl’s fault.
“This sexual urge, once awakened and active in a boy at puberty and beyond, can become a powerful internal force. Any decent girl will do her best to help him, and not make things difficult for him. Even in your own home, if you have teenage brothers, you should be aware of this,” Mary read from her old sex education books titled To the eleven year old girl“Your brother accidentally comes close to you and sees your exposed body, which may suddenly give rise to a strong sexual desire within him. His intentions are not bad, but he suddenly finds himself a victim of your carelessness in his own body’s desires.”
However, her three brothers; David, Eli, and Johnny, repeatedly abused her despite her taking every precaution to avoid physical abuse from family members. When the matter was brought up to church elders, Byler’s brothers confessed.
Mary said they were sentenced to the most extreme punishment the community has for sexual assault — six weeks of excommunication, which she said simply meant not being allowed to associate with church members. She was then asked to forgive her brothers. Instead, she went to authorities outside the Amish community.
Mary eventually left the community and took her two abusive brothers to court. When Don Henry of the Vernon County, Wisconsin, Police Department spoke with Amy’s brother, Johnny, he freely admitted to raping her, ABC News reported. He just disagreed about how many times it happened.
Henry said, “He wanted to know how many times she said it, and just to him, she said it happened 100 to 150 times. He thought that was too much and he thought it happened 50 to 75 times.”
Johnny is said to have raped her more than 100 times. He was sentenced to ten years probation and one year in county jail “at night.” Eli was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
Where is Mary Byler now?
Mary Byler, before and after the show, focused on raising awareness for victims of abuse in the Amish community. After leaving the Amish community in 2004, she took on a new responsibility to protect victims in and out of the community. “If someone, a girl or a boy or a child who is being hurt by someone, gets something good out of this story. That would make me feel really good,” Mary told ABCNews in 2006.
Mary Byler Relationship Status
There is no information about Mary Byler’s current relationship status.
Mary Byler’s age
As of 2022, Mary Byler is 37 years old.
Is Mary Byler on Instagram and Facebook?
Find Mary Byler on Facebook (@Mary.A.Byler). She doesn’t appear to be on Instagram.
Mary Byler Current Job
After leaving the Amish community in 2004, Mary got her driver’s license and earned her GED. She has since also joined the Army in March 2005. Talk to ABC News In 2005, she told the TV channel that she hoped to pursue a career in nursing.
Mary used to read a lot of books and she would imagine herself somewhere. “I would read books and imagine. I have a great imagination that would take me to faraway places, you know, places that I was afraid I would never get to, but wanted to go to,” Mary told Elizabeth Vargas of “20/20.”
Mary said she would use those fantasies as an emotional release.
Related FAQs
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Where was Mary Byler born?
Mary Byler was born in Wisconsin. She and her family lived in Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania before moving to New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Her biological father died in a buggy accident when she was five years old. Her mother, Sally, did nothing to protect Mary from her three older brothers.
Before her father died, Mary told her mother, Sally, that he had molested her. At first, Sally did not believe her daughter. Mary said her mother told her, “He said he was sorry and you have to forgive him.” After her husband died, Sally raised Mary and her eight sons on her own. Her household was disorganized, and the children did not always listen to her. Sally was particularly frustrated with Mary, who had inherited her large almond-shaped eyes and tendency to speak out of turn.
In 1996, Sally remarried to a man named William Kempf, whom she met on the bus. This carpenter had a bad temper, and he began to beat Sally, Mary, and Mary’s half-sister.
The Vernon County District Court also sentenced Sally to two years of probation for failing to protect her daughter. Her stepfather was sentenced to 18 months of probation for assault and disorderly conduct.
Mary Byler is 5 feet 8 inches tall.