A former Married At First Sight star has criticized a major AFL club for allegedly turning a blind eye to players who mock domestic violence and says the league must hold men accountable.
Perth-based Lauren Dunn, 32, who rose to fame on the 2024 season of Married at First Sight Australia, posted about her past domestic violence on Instagram earlier this year.
Shortly after publication, she was alerted that several players were making light of her situation.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Dunn said that as an Australian woman with a platform, she feels compelled to speak out on behalf of victim-survivors who are unable to do so.
“I was informed that members of a particular AFL club were sitting around discussing my social media posts,” he said.
“They were making light of the situation, labeling me ‘ridiculous’ and saying they would all support each other.”
The media personality also took to her Instagram Stories after learning that the group of former AFL players had mocked her for sharing her grief publicly.
“As an Australian woman, it is my duty to use my platform to call out the systemic abuse of women within Australian men’s sports clubs and Australia as a whole,” she said.
“Sports clubs have an important role to play in tackling this issue, because ‘actively shaming men who have abused women will begin to create real cultural change.'”
Married At First Sight star Lauren Dunn has criticized a major AFL club for allegedly turning a blind eye to players who mock domestic violence and says the league must hold men accountable.
“This is not only absolutely appalling, but also very bold of some of these losers, considering the information I’ve been sitting on, which comes directly from women who have come to me with stories of their own DV experiences with members particulars of this WA club.
In the post, Dunn explained that he decided not to reveal the names of the AFL players to protect the privacy and well-being of the women and their children.
“If I didn’t value the safety and privacy of the women and their children involved, I would expose every single one of these fucking idiots.”
He tagged @AFL in the post and called on the league to address the “rampant issue” among members of the organisation. She received no response.
“Since coming forward, I have been inundated with stories from women who have had similar experiences with current and past players,” Dunn told the Daily Mail.
He said several of the women he has been in contact with came to the league for help, only to be “shoed away.”
“The AFL has a strong history of whitewashing its players and rejecting women who have been brave enough to approach them with their experiences,” Dunn said.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Dunn said that as an Australian woman with a platform, she feels compelled to speak out on behalf of victim-survivors who cannot
The AFL Integrity Unit has not responded to requests from Daily Mail Australia to comment on the allegations.
His statement comes after all AFL players, coaches and referees observed a minute’s silence in honor of victims of gender-based violence against women on August 30.
The action was taken ahead of nine matches played across the country following widespread community, political and media condemnation of Australia’s national “feminicide” crisis.
A spike in murders of women sparked demonstrations in many Australian cities in late April. The death toll of Australian women by that time had reached 29.
“Behind this gesture was the AFL’s keen antenna for intelligent marketing around a socially progressive social cause,” Monash University professors Lucas Santos and Tom Heenan wrote about the action of “virtue signaling” in their letter..
“Football administrators and fans are a forgiving bunch, especially towards past champions,” they wrote. “But in defending its position, the AFL clumsily revealed it had not addressed its skeletons in the closet.”
That included North Melbourne captain and senior player Wayne Carey, who was in line to be named a NSW Hall of Fame Legend the same weekend, despite a long history of domestic violence allegations and convictions for assault.
The AFL has a long and checkered history when it comes to sexism and the prevention of violence against women.
AFL players, coaches and referees observed a minute’s silence in honor of victims of gender-based violence against women on August 30, 2024 (pictured: Round 08 match in Adelaide)
Lauren told Daily Mail Australia she feels “a duty” to speak out about what is happening to her as an Australian woman with a platform to do so.
Carlton’s then-chairman John Elliott boasted of paying “hush money” to women who had come forward with rape allegations against players in 2009, for example.
When it comes to Dunn and the women who have shared their stories with her, the feeling of silent tribute is not enough.
Lauren Dunn is an ambassador for The Polished Man, an Australian organization dedicated to ending violence against women and children.
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