women's aid love island

Women’s Aid and Refuge issue statements over the boys’ behaviour in Love Island

Women’s Aid is in talks with ITV after Sunday’s episode


Domestic abuse charities Women’s Aid and Refuge have issued statements following Sunday night’s Love Island episode.

During Sunday night’s episode the Islanders watched a number of clips from their time in Casa Amor. After watching the clips Luca Bish was seen accusing Gemma Owen of flirting with Billy, Davide Sanclimenti called Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu a “liar” during a heated argument and Dami Hope shouted at Summer Botwe, calling her “fake”.

Throughout the episode people on Twitter were calling out the boys for their behaviour and double standards, with many calling the episode “uncomfortable to watch”.

via ITV

Women’s Aid said they were now in discussions with ITV over the behaviour of the men and said producers should step in when they recognise controlling behaviour.

Head of communications and media relations at Women’s Aid, Teresa Parker, told Metro.co.uk: “At Women’s Aid we are being tagged into a stream of Twitter posts, with viewers of Love Island highlighting the misogyny and controlling behaviour being shown on screen.

“This is clearly more than talking about any individual contestants, and a programme based around the formation of romantic relationships must have guidelines on what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable in those relationships.

“We are talking to ITV, and they have shared with us information on their inclusion training, but what appears to be missing is specific information on abusive relationships and an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships.”

“Women’s Aid has offered to help, and we want to assure people tagging us into posts that we are in conversation with ITV and the Love Island producers about what we can do moving forward to help address this.”

love island movie night 2022

via ITV

Parker continued saying Women’s Aid has a campagin called Come Together To End Domestic Abuse about ending abuse which Parker said ITV can play “an important role” in as it is “clearly an ongoing issue for the show”.

Domestic abuse charity Refuge has also issued a statement on their Twitter saying the behaviour displayed on the show is “extremely concerning”.

Last night they tweeted: “The misogyny and casual sexism witnessed on this series of #LoveIsland is extremely concerning. The double standards, gaslighting and coercive control being displayed by the men in the villa is hugely problematic.”

Earlier in this season of Love Island Women’s Aid also issued a statement over the return of Adam Collard, who’s behaviour they had previously addressed when he appeared in the show in 2018.

After Adam returned last week Women’s Aid said: “In the 2018 series of Love Island, we saw Rosie rightly call out Adam for his unacceptable behaviour, which included gaslighting and emotional abuse.

“We hope that ITV recognise how serious this issue is and that it must be learned from, considering they have asked Adam to return to the show.

“Love Island is watched by many young people and we know what a huge influence it has. Producers must make sure there is support for contestants throughout, and intervene if relationships become unhealthy or abusive.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse in a relationship, call the Freephone 24/7 National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Women’s Aid in partnership with Refuge, on 0808 2000 247 or visit www.womensaid.org.uk.

Love Island 2022 continues on ITV2 at 9pm tonight. For all the latest Love Island news and gossip and for the best memes and quizzes, like The Holy Church of Love Island on Facebook.

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