Where is Mary Byler Now? – ‘Sins of the Amish‘ is a horrific two-part documentary that pulls back the veil on the alleged generational pattern of child sex abuse affecting restricted communities. After all, it examines the Amish and Mennonite communities’ dark sides through the first-hand testimony of women seeking justice for the horrible atrocities they claim to have witnessed within their communities.
Mary Byler, an assault survivor turned inspiration, was one of them. So, if you want to know more about her life and where she is today, we’ve got all the information you need.
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What is Mary Byler’s background?
Mary Byler, who was born and raised Amish, knew from an early age that she would have to follow a rigorous hierarchy if she wanted to live a reasonably quiet and serene existence. It didn’t matter, though, because her abusers were all members of her own family, beginning with her biological father molesting her when she was just four years old. He died in a buggy accident the next year, but the sad truth is that not only did the abuse continue, but she also had no assistance, either from her mother or another family.
Mary had confided in her mother about the attacks, but all she received was a warped lesson in forgiveness, “which means you don’t talk about it; you don’t ever bring it up,” Mary was told. Sally had informed her small daughter, “He’s sorry, and you have to forgive him,” as per the Peacock original, implying that there would be no protection, no space for disagreement, and no other option. The worst aspect is that once the family relocated to a different Plain area, Mary was allegedly sexually molested by an older relative before her brothers entered the scene.
Mary revealed everything in ‘Sins of the Amish,’ from her cousin climbing in the window to rape her (as his sisters laughed from outside the closed chamber) to her brothers pulling off the door hinges to get inside. Sally admits to “begging” her mother not to leave her home alone with her brothers, but she “did it anyway,” resulting in a slew of additional horrific events.
These heinous crimes lasted until Mary was 17 (for 11 years). She finally summoned the fortitude to report them to the authorities in 2004 after learning that her younger sister was also being molested.
What Happened to Mary Byler and Where is She Now?
While Mary’s mother was charged with failure to safeguard her daughter after an official report and wiretap investigation, three of her brothers were prosecuted on sexual assault charges. Even her stepfather, William, was arrested and charged with misdemeanours for allegedly assaulting Mary in the past, and they all pled guilty shortly after.
But it’s her brothers’ sentences that are perplexing: Eli Byler was sentenced to eight years in prison (due to a past conviction), while David Byler was sentenced to four years. Johnny Byler, on the other hand, was sentenced to merely a year in county jail with work release and 10 years of probation after admitting to raping his sister 200+ times.
Mary Byler was shunned by her community instead of her family members, and her mother went so far as to accuse her of reporting her brothers “for revenge.” Sally wrote to the court, pleading for Johnny’s release, claiming that her daughter “had a history of making things sound worse than they really are.” As a result, Mary left the Amish community that same year (2004), obtained her driver’s licence, and completed her GED to begin a new life.
Mary is now an advocate for other child sexual assault survivors as the co-founder and CEO of Colorado-based The Misfit Amish. Her organization’s purpose, as far as we can tell, is to bridge the gap between the Amish and the rest of the world. She also frequently speaks out in public on topics such as PTSD, residual trauma, legal help, and much more. It’s also worth noting that Mary is a proud mother.
In 2021, Mary said, “I have to believe we can stand together and make a difference.” “I have to trust that there are enough people who perceive these activities for what they are: atrocities; that we can all stand together and raise awareness, develop education, use the education that already exists, and make a difference.” I have to believe it because if I don’t, I feel like I’ll lose all hope and wind up on a terribly dark path.”
Stream ‘Sins of the Amish’ on Peacock TV.
