Former contestants of Australia's Married at First Sight (MAFS) have raised serious concerns about the show's safety protocols, following allegations of rape and sexual assault against the UK franchise. Cast members describe an environment of 'control, manipulation and isolation' that they say puts participants at risk.
One anonymous former participant claims that men with 'criminal or domestic violence backgrounds are cast regularly, season after season'. She alleges that women on her season experienced 'physical violence, assault, non-consensual touching', and that the show's structure leaves contestants isolated with strangers overnight without cameras rolling.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has conducted 10 investigations into MAFS and received 39 complaints, though no breaches of its code of practice have been found. In the 2026 season, a couple was pulled before airing after past allegations of domestic violence came to light.
Season 12 bride Awhina Rutene, who was matched with Adrian Araouzou after his domestic abuse charges were dismissed, says the show 'obviously needed a better vetting process'. She describes the environment as a 'pressure cooker' where physical intimacy is rewarded, making it feel 'forced'.
Another contestant, Sierah Swepstone, posted on Instagram that the show's engineered environment is 'characterised by control, manipulation, isolation … gaslighting, psychological dependency, triggers and deprivation of autonomy'. She says this impairs a person's ability to enforce boundaries or leave.
Olivia Rutherford, a season 9 cast member, says she does not believe the show can be made safely. The anonymous former participant suggests adopting a model like Love Island, where cameras roll at all times and there is no private unsupervised access, as a solution to improve safety.
