A former Married At First Sight star has slammed a major AFL club for allegedly turning a blind eye to players who mocked domestic violence and saying the league must hold men accountable.
Lauren Dunn, 32, from Perth, who found fame on the 2024 season of Married at First Sight Australia, posted about domestic abuse on Instagram earlier this year.
Shortly after the post, she was alerted to several players downplaying her situation.
Speaking to Ny Breaking Australia, Dunn said that as an Australian woman with a platform, she feels obliged to raise her voice on behalf of the victim-survivors who cannot.
“I was made aware that members of a certain AFL club were discussing my posts on social media,” she said.
“They made light of the situation, branded me ‘ridiculous’ and said 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 publicly sharing her pain.
“As an Australian woman, it is my duty to use my platform to speak out against the systematic abuse of women within Australian male sporting clubs, and in Australia as a whole,” she said.
‘Sports clubs have an important role to play in tackling this problem because ‘actively dishonoring men who have abused women will bring about real cultural change’.
Married At First Sight star Lauren Dunn has called out a major AFL club for allegedly turning a blind eye to players who mocked domestic violence and says the league must hold men accountable
‘This is not only absolutely horrendous, but also very daring of some of this washed up stuff, given the information I’ve been sitting on, which has come directly from women who have come to me with stories of their own experiences with DV with certain members of this WA club.”
In the post, Dunn explained that she chose 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 involved and their children, I would expose every single one of these things to brain teasers.”
She tagged @AFL in the post as she called on the league to address the “rampant problem” among the organization’s members. She got no answer.
“Since coming forward I have been inundated with stories from women who have had similar experiences with current and former players,” Dunn told Ny Breaking.
She said several women she contacted went to the league for help but were “scared away.”
“The AFL has a strong history of hiding their players and dismissing women who have been brave enough to approach them with their experiences,” Dunn said.
Speaking to Ny Breaking Australia, Dunn said that as an Australian woman with a platform, she feels obliged to raise her voice on behalf of victim survivors who cannot
The AFL Integrity Unit did not respond to Ny Breaking Australia’s requests for comment on the allegations.
Her statement comes after all AFL players, coaches and referees observed a minute’s silence on August 30 to honor the victims of gender-based violence against women.
The action was taken before nine matches were played across the country, following widespread community, political and media condemnation of Australia’s national ‘femicide’ crisis.
A wave of murders of women led to demonstrations in many Australian cities in late April. The death toll of Australian women had so far risen to 29.
“Behind this gesture was the AFL’s acute antenna for smart marketing, wrapped around a socially progressive social cause,” Monash University lecturers Lucas Santos and Tom Heenan wrote about the ‘virtue signaling’ campaign in their missive.
“Football administrators and fans are a forgiving bunch, especially towards former champions,” they wrote. “But in making its case, the AFL clumsily revealed that it had failed to address the skeletons in the cupboard.”
This included North Melbourne captain and premiership player Wayne Carey, who was in line to be named a NSW Hall of Fame Legend on the same weekend despite a long history of DV charges and assault convictions.
The AFL has a long and checkered history when it comes to sexism and preventing 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 (Photo: Round 08 match in Adelaide)
Lauren told Ny Breaking Australia she feels ‘an obligation’ to speak out about what’s happening to her as an Australian woman with a platform to do so
For example, then-Carlton president John Elliott boasted of paying “hush money” to women who made rape allegations against players in 2009.
As for Dunn and the women who have shared their stories with her, the sense of silent tribute isn’t enough.
Lauren Dunn is an ambassador for The Polished Man, an Australian organization committed to ending violence against women and children.
If you or someone you know is struggling and needs support: Call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14, both of which offer trained advisors you can talk to 24/7. You can also talk to someone from 1800RESPECT via online chat.
In case of emergency you can call 000.