There are some key quotes in the trial scene that tell us what actually happened to Mayella Ewell. In Chapter 18, Atticus questions Mayella on the stand, and his questions gradually reveal that Mayella's father, Bob Ewell, was actually the one who beat her up. Take, for instance, the following excerpt:
"Did you scream first at your father instead of at Tom Robinson? Was that it?"
No answer.
"Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or...
There are some key quotes in the trial scene that tell us what actually happened to Mayella Ewell. In Chapter 18, Atticus questions Mayella on the stand, and his questions gradually reveal that Mayella's father, Bob Ewell, was actually the one who beat her up. Take, for instance, the following excerpt:
"Did you scream first at your father instead of at Tom Robinson? Was that it?"
No answer.
"Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father?"
No answer. (190)
Based on the way Mayella avoids answering Atticus' questions, we can assume that it was Bob Ewell who actually beat up Mayella, and that the man is blaming his crimes on Tom Robinson. Further on in Chapter 19, we get even more insight into what happened when Tom Robinson gives his testimony:
"She says she never kissed a grown man before... She says what her papa do to her don't count." (197)
Based on Tom's account of the situation, we can guess that Mayella Ewell actually instigated her interactions with Tom, and we can assume that her father attacked her when he found out. More importantly, this quote suggests that Mayella has been sexually abused by her father. Thus, based on these quotes, we can assume that Mayella has been abused by her father on many levels, and that it was Bob Ewell, not Tom Robinson, who beat her up.
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