Documentary on Sexual Abuse in Amish Communities Now Streaming on PBS

“Keep Quiet and Forgive,” a documentary about sexual abuse in Plain communities, is now available to stream after completing a festival circuit. The feature-length film was made by director, producer and journalist Sarah McClure, who lived in Los Angeles before moving to Lancaster city.

The documentary examines the aftermath of widespread sexual abuse in Plain communities and what happens after victims report their abusers. It also looks at the steps taken afterward. McClure began researching the subject when she wrote an article for Cosmopolitan, published in 2020.

In an earlier interview with LNP | LancasterOnline, McClure said the film is a continuation of that article rather than a rehashing of it. She described the approach as putting “a magnifying glass on some issue and allowing audiences or readers to think critically about it and examine it and question if this is the right way.”

The film’s concern with whether victims are heard and whether communities respond rightly to abuse reflects the call to protect the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8-9).

The documentary premiered at the Buffalo International Film Festival on Oct. 10. It was then shown at Penn Cinema in Lititz as part of the Red Rose Film Festival from Nov. 7 to 9.

The film is now available on the PBS app and website as part of its “Independent Lens” series, which presents documentaries from independent filmmakers.

Source: Read the original report