Former cast members of Australia's Married at First Sight (MAFS) have spoken out about the show's safety protocols, following serious allegations against the UK franchise. Participants described an environment of 'control, manipulation and isolation', with one anonymous former contestant claiming that men with domestic violence backgrounds are 'cast regularly, season after season'.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has conducted 10 investigations into MAFS and received 39 complaints, most recently in 2025 over allegations of themes of domestic violence and coercive control. No breaches have been found, but critics argue the show mainstreams dangerous misogynistic stereotypes.
Season 12 bride Awhina Rutene, who was matched with Adrian Araouzou—a man with historical domestic abuse charges that were dismissed—said the show 'obviously needed a better vetting process'. She described the environment as a 'pressure cooker' where physical intimacy is forced, with producers asking 'why aren't you having sex?' every morning.
Another season 12 participant, Sierah Swepstone, wrote on Instagram that the MAFS environment is 'characterised by control, manipulation, isolation … gaslighting, psychological dependency, triggers and deprivation of autonomy'. A former participant, speaking anonymously, said women on her season experienced 'physical violence, assault, non-consensual touching'.
Olivia Rutherford, a season 9 bride, said she does not believe the show can be made safely. The anonymous former participant suggested that MAFS should adopt a format similar to Love Island, with cameras rolling at all times and no private unsupervised access, stating: 'If MAFS genuinely cared about participant safety, that structure would already be in place.'
