Preventing Domestic Violence: Even in the Amish Sub-Culture in America

It would be wonderful if I could tell the world that as I was growing up in an Amish community I never experienced any domestic violence. But that is just simply not the truth. Amish people are human being and they experience all the same feelings that anyone else does. Happy, sad, confused, angry, ashamed are all feelings that pretty much everyone in this world has felt one time or another. The Amish are not exempt from that.


There are many very good and friendly Amish people in America and this is not to bash the Amish in any way. The awareness that I want to bring out here is that there are some Amish that are very violent towards others and those victims need our (as outsiders, non-Amish) help when we get the chance.
The Amish culture is very male dominated so I must say that violence between women was very seldom seen or heard of. However, violence towards women and girls is very common and also amongst the young people. They understood the Bible teaching about non- violence but not all Amish people practice this or have moments of weakness.


Is spanking considered violence? It all depends on the severity of the spanking. When you swat a child on the behind to get their attention, without leaving a mark or redness, then I would consider that to be warranted sometimes. However, if you spank a child with a leather strap or willow branch hard enough to leave red marks and sometimes draw blood then absolutely that is violence. Some children are scarred severely, both physically and emotionally, by the time they are old enough to fight off the offender.


Many people have asked me how they can help an Amish person when they find out that violence is happening. There is not an easy answer for this because of the secretiveness of the Amish culture. The Amish believe that all issues should be kept within their own group. If the victim of violence wants help they are only allowed to look for help within the group. Calling the authorities for help is not okay and not practiced. Some live with the violence all their lives because they do not believe in getting help beyond their own culture.


In some cases the help that is available is not forceful enough to actually stop the violence. The leaders of the community will try to talk to the offender. He is required to ask for forgiveness in church and promise to change his ways and everyone hopes it will help which sometimes it does and other times it does not.


Here is my plea to all who do not live the Amish lifestyle (as I don't anymore, I left that all behind 16 years ago). If you see violence happening among the Amish please call for help. Someone in each situation is begging you to see beyond the lifestyle and the dress to get them some help. When I grew up only knowing the Amish way of thinking I know the victim feels there is no choice but to take the beatings. Now I know, as an outsider, that there is help if only we can get to them soon enough.


For more in the experiences of growing up Amish visit www.growingupamish.com

Anna Dee Olson has spoken to thousands of people across the country. Many people depend on Anna to help them understand the Amish to a better degre. Anna grew up not knowing her purpose in life and only knowing that life was meant to be difficult. Today Anna has found her true purpose which you can read more about at www.GrowingUpAmish.com Submit your questions at www.TheAmishLady.com