Love Island: Women’s Aid in talks with ITV about ‘misogyny and controlling behaviour’ in the villa – as Refuge raises concerns about ‘gaslighting and coercive control’ by the boys
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Women’s Aid have revealed that they are in talks with ITV over the ‘misogyny and controlling behaviour’ being shown in the Love Island villa.
A statement from the charity insisted that ‘specific information on abusive relationships and an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships’ is missing from the channel’s ‘inclusive training’ ahead of the series.
Meanwhile the women’s charity Refuge issued a separate statement highlighting the ‘gaslighting and coercive control’ shown by some of the boys.
Difficult: Women’s Aid have revealed that they are in talks with ITV over the ‘misogyny and controlling behaviour’ being shown in the Love Island villa (pictured is Luca who has come under fire for his behaviour towards Gemma)
It comes as many have taken to Twitter in the last week during the fall out from Casa Amor to call out certain behaviour from the boys.
In recent episodes, fishmonger Luca Bish accused her partner Gemma Owen of ‘flirting’ with Billy Brown after being shown clips of her during Movie Night – despite her repeatedly denying anything noteworthy happening between them.
Meanwhile after Movie Night, Davide Sanclimenti branded Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu a ‘liar’ yet again for her brief flirtation with George in Casa Amor, despite him kissing two girls during the time away from her.
Dami Hope has also landed himself in hot water with fans after calling Summer Botwe ‘fake’ and hitting back at Indiyah Polack after his blatant wandering eyes during Casa Amor.
Having their say: A statement from the charity insisted that ‘specific information on abusive relationships and an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships’ is missing in the series (pictured is Dami who has been accused of gaslighting Indiyah)
In response Women’s Aid’s statement said: ‘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.’
Reaction: In response Women’s Aid’s statement said: ‘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’
The women’s charity Refuge also wrote on Twitter in a statement: ‘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.’
ITV has been contacted by MailOnline for a comment.
In reaction one angry viewer wrote on Twitter: ‘The misogyny and double standards this year STINKS!’
In hot water: In recent episodes, fishmonger Luca accused her partner Gemma of ‘flirting’ with Billy after being shown clips of her during Movie Night – despite her repeatedly denying anything noteworthy happening
Not happy: The women’s charity Refuge also wrote on Twitter in a statement: ‘The misogyny and casual sexism witnessed on this series of #LoveIsland is extremely concerning’
Another said: ‘the misogyny is clear when the boys aren’t saying nothing about Dami not telling Indiyah about the 3way kiss but want to grill Ekin about not saying anything about George…’
Someone else noted: ‘Luca laughing at the boys’ behaviour while simultaneously being fuming at Gemma for SPEAKING to another man? the misogyny of this year is wild.’
A fourth wrote: ‘Love Island is just highlighting that Britain has a very serious problem with misogyny!’
Shock: Luca was left seething after watching Gemma have a ‘flirty’ chat with Billy during Casa Amor – however he persisted with shouting at her after she insisted nothing happened
Fuming: In reaction one angry viewer wrote on Twitter: ‘The misogyny and double standards this year STINKS!’
It comes after Luca’s family took to Instagram Stories on his account on Monday to say they don’t condone his behaviour towards partner Gemma.
Fans had called for Gemma to break off her relationship with the fishmonger, after he raged at her for ‘flirting’ with Billy on Sunday night’s show.
And his family have said that while he would be ’embarrassed’ by his actions and will no doubt apologise, he doesn’t deserve the abuse he has been getting.
They say his behaviour is not reflective of the boy they ‘know and love at home’ but noted that his Love Island experience is an intense one.
Addressing: It comes after Luca’s family took to Instagram Stories on his account on Monday to say they don’t condone his behaviour towards partner Gemma
They wrote: ‘I want to apologise on behalf of Luca for his insensitive reaction on last night’s episode. I know that when he watches it back, he will be embarrassed and deeply apologetic.
‘We as his family don’t condone his behaviour last might, but we do understand he is in an intense environment where his actions are heightened. Last night was not reflective of the boy we all know and love at home.
‘Please be aware death threats and nasty comments totally overstep the mark and something we has a family should not have to ensure, for this reason we have turned off the comments and messages.
Angry: Viewers at home fumed watching the scenes, arguing Gemma had done nothing wrong and that Luca was displaying ‘gaslighting’ behaviour
‘For all those who have sent messages checking in on us, we would like to thank you very much and we see you.’
Luca was left seething after watching Gemma have a chat with Billy during Casa Amor, prompting him to question the strength of their relationship.
The second half of Movie Night saw a clip entitled Good Bill Hunting show Billy and Gemma chatting in the villa.
Billy quizzed Gemma on whether options were open when it came to pairing-up with another person despite her being in a couple with Luca.
Supportive: Elsewhere Love Island fans have backed Summer after she and Dami got into a fiery argument over their failed romance, as people accused him of ‘gaslighting’ her
Luca fumed as he watched the clip: ‘Just bring me a f**king bird in and watch.
‘Trust me when I say, if she wants to f**king play games with me, I’ll play with it.’
He added: ‘I can’t be with someone like that, I’m sorry.’
Later that evening after the films aired, Luca pulled Gemma for a chat, saying: ‘You were entertaining it,’ to which Gemma replied: ‘No I wasn’t.’
Luca called Billy over to the fire pit to join them and asked: ‘Did you feel like she was flirting with you?’
Denial: Dami had attempted to downplay their relationship, telling Indiyah that he had not led Summer on, before calling her ‘fake’
Billy answered: ‘Yeah, it was just flirty banter,’ prompting Gemma to interject: ‘Did we have a flirty chat? Yes.’
Luca replied: ‘But just a minute ago you said you didn’t have a flirty chat, you literally said I wasn’t flirting.’
As the conversation continued, Gemma said: ‘I don’t think any lines have been crossed.’
However, Luca did not back down, insisting that the real source of his anger was not that he flirted but instead how he came out of the situation.
Standards: This angered viewers at home who took to Twitter to blast Dami for his behaviour towards Summer and demand that Indiyah call him out
He explained: ‘I’m not angry that you flirted. I’m angry that when I pulled you on the situation, you made me out to be an idiot.’
Viewers at home fumed watching the scenes, arguing Gemma had done nothing wrong and that Luca was displaying ‘gaslighting’ behaviour.
One fan said: ‘Luca gives abusive partner vibes, GEMMA GET ON YOUR HORSE AND GALLOP AWAY.’
Another agreed, saying: ‘Nah someone needs to sit me down and explain what exactly Luca has to be that fuming about? He should’ve left with Jacques.’
A third compared Luca to Joe Goldberg from the Netflix show You, saying: ‘Nah gemma needs to leave Luca. She could ask the male shopkeeper for her receipt and he’d say she was ‘entertaining’ him.’
Elsewhere Love Island fans have backed Summer after she and Dami got into a fiery argument over their failed romance.
Dami had attempted to downplay their relationship, telling Indiyah that he had not led Summer on.
However, during movie night, Indiyah witnessed a Silence of the Dams film, which showed Dami kissing Summer.
Drama: Meanwhile after Movie Night, Davide Sanclimenti branded Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu a ‘liar’ yet again for her brief flirtation with George in Casa Amor, despite him kissing two girls during the time away from her
Watching the pair’s passionate kiss, Indiyah asked: ‘Why is it so long? That’s a long a**e kiss.’
After Indiyah watched the clip, she said to him: ‘Don’t worry because I will deal with you later.’
She later said in the Beach Hut: ‘I know why he was silent because all that stuff I saw, he didn’t want to tell me. So here you are kissing under the covers, kissing on the terrace. A three way kiss.
‘I know it takes two to tango. From what she was telling me, I know that Dami was making her feel like she really did have a chance and that’s what p**ses me off.’
History: It comes after Women’s Aid was forced to issue a warning over the return of controversial contestant Adam Collard last week
However, the conversation did not rest there, with Dami pulling Summer for a chat with him and Indiyah in a bid to defend himself.
Summer told him: ‘You’ve always been honest and you’ve always said that you still like Indiyah and Indiyah is still on your mind but then in the second breath you made out you could be into me.
‘That’s very shady, you made me feel you had a connection with me.’
She added: ‘If your heart was with Indiyah, Dami, then you shouldn’t have behaved with me how you did at Casa. And that’s just straight facts.’
Dami responded by saying: ‘I actually thought you were real, but you’re actually fake.’
This upset Summer, and she replied: ‘I can’t lie that is very f***ing shady, cos you were literally saying to me you felt like you had a connection with me, so don’t piss me the f**k off.’
Dami claimed he was being ‘genuine’ before repeatedly telling Summer to ‘shut up’.
This angered viewers at home who took to Twitter to blast Dami for his behaviour towards Summer and demand that Indiyah call him out.
Line-up: The original cast is pictured in a group shot at the start of the series
One wrote: ‘Nah I’m sorry, after witnessing how Dami has spoken to Summer Indiyah can’t stay with this man. I really don’t care if it’s too late to couple up with anyone else this kind of behaviour towards women he’s previously dealt with is a disgrace.’
Another agreed, saying: ‘If I was Indiyah I’d make Dami apologise to Summer for how he spoke to her. You can’t disrespect women like that especially not infront of me.’
A third echoed: ‘how was indiyah comfortable with the way dami was talking to summer? you can’t just like a guy because he’s nice to you, be wary of how he talks to others.’
While someone else chimed in: ‘Dami was gaslighting Summer, shouting at her, being disrespectful and Indiyah’s response is ‘my feelings for Dami will never go away.”
And a sixth said: ‘poor summer she did absolutely nothing wrong and Dami is gaslighting her :(‘.
It comes after Women’s Aid was forced to issue a warning over the return of controversial contestant Adam Collard last week.
Adam, 26, caused drama when he first entered the show in 2018 and was accused of gaslighting.
At the time, the domestic abuse charity released a statement around the personal trainers’ treatment of law student Rosie Williams, declaring there were ‘warning signs in his behaviour’.
He was then allowed back on the show. ITV has insisted the welfare of its contestants is always its greatest priority.
LOVE ISLAND 2022: MEET THE CONTESTANTS
Paige Thorne
Name: Paige Thorne
Age: 24
Location: Swansea
Occupation: Paramedic
Who is their type on paper? ‘In Swansea there is just no-one I can find.
‘I haven’t got to swipe. So, hopefully they can just come to me now!
‘I came out of a relationship and I was just so done with guys. Then I was like, ‘Ok, I’m bored now’
Indiyah Polack
Name: Indiyah Polack
Age: 23
Location: London
Occupation: Hotel waitress
Who is their type on paper? ‘It’s quite hard to date without being influenced by social media and stuff like that.
‘Love Island is a great place to get to know someone one-on-one.
‘I don’t think I have ever been out with two guys who are quite the same.’
Tasha Ghouri
Name: Tasha Ghouri
Age: 23
Location: Thirsk
Occupation: Model and dancer
Who is their type on paper? ‘My dating life has been a shambles.
‘This is an opportunity for me to find ‘the one’ and have a great summer at the same time.
‘I’m definitely ready for a relationship. I’m 23 now so I’m ready to get to know someone and travel with them.’
Gemma Owen
Name: Gemma Owen
Age: 19
Location: Chester
Occupation: International Dressage Rider and Business Owner
Who is their type on paper? ‘I am open to finding love, I’m wanting to have a really fun summer.
‘I would say I’m fun, flirty and fiery. I think I’m good at giving advice, I’m a good person to talk to, I’m very honest.
‘If I want the same guy, I’d do it but in a nice respectful way.
Andrew Le Page
Name: Andrew Le Page
Age: 27
Location: Guernsey
Occupation: Real Estate Agent
Who is their type on paper? ‘When I’m with someone I’m very loyal.
‘I’m a good boyfriend as when I’m with someone I’m all for them.
‘I’m actually single for once, so I thought why not? This is the best time to give it a go.’
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Name: Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Age: 27
Location: Essex
Occupation: Actress
Who is their type on paper? ‘I’m quite picky and I’m not just looking for looks, I’m looking for brains!
‘I’m looking for someone with intelligence, someone who can have good chats. Nothing like cockiness!’
Deji Adeniyi
Name: Deji Adeniyi
Age: 25
Location: Bedford
Occupation: Accounts Manager
Why Love Island and why now? ‘The reason why is that my sex life is amazing but my love life is awful. I am the master of failed talking stages. My love life isn’t going the right way so one night I decided to apply for Love Island and now I’m here!’
Josh Samuel Le Grove
Name: Josh Samuel Le Grove
Age: 22
Location: Essex
Occupation: Model
Why Love Island and why now? ‘I’ve always been single. If you’re going to find someone, it’ll be in a place where everyone is single and looking for the same thing.’
Adam Collard
Name: Adam Collard
Age: 26
Location: Newcastle
Occupation: Personal trainer
Why Love Island and why now? ‘I’m going to ruffle a few feathers when I go in.’
Dami Hope
Name: Dami Hope
Age: 26
Location: Dublin
Occupation: Senior Microbiologist
Who is their type on paper? ‘I will be talking to different girls, it might not go well with some.
‘When I’m actually in a relationship, I think it’s a star sign thing.
‘I’m an Aries but I’m very passionate – I always used to put that person first. I’m really good at being in a team’.
Davide Sanclimenti
Name: Davide Sanclimenti
Age: 27
Location: Rome (lives in Manchester)
Occupation: Business owner
Who is their type on paper? ‘A lot of English girls actually love me.
‘They love to be around me and I love to be around them. I want to find my soulmate.
‘Find my person so I can actually build something in the future, grow with them, be a family. ‘
Luca Bish
Name: Luca Bish
Age: 23
Location: Brighton
Occupation: Fishmonger
Who is their type on paper? ‘I prefer to meet girls out and about. I think when you go looking for it, it’s not as easy though, it’s like you’re too desperate for it.
‘If I think you’re the one or I like you, I’ll take you out on a date but other than that, if we talk and I don’t like where it’s going – then I won’t be throwing out dates.’
Jacques O’Neill
Name: Jacques O’Neill
Age: 23
Location: Cumbria
Occupation: Rugby League Player
Who is their type on paper? ‘I think it needs to be the right person, at the right time.
‘I was saying to my mum the other day that I want a girl. And I’m now ready to settle down.’
Danica Taylor
Name: Danica Taylor
Age: 21
Location: Leicester
Occupation: Dancer
Who is their type on paper? ‘I am the type of girlfriend that I want to do so much with you – deep conversations, silly activities.
‘If you say let’s go canoeing all day even though I am quite a glam girl, I am down for it.’
Summer Botwe
Name: Summer Botwe
Age: 22
From: Hertfordshire
Occupation: Events decor business co-owner
What are you looking forward to in the Villa? I think that I’m just genuinely good vibes – very goofy, very silly. Everyone will be fun around me. I don’t really take things too seriously. I feel like I might end up bringing some drama because I do want to go full force with Dami…
Coco Lodge
Name: Coco Lodge
Age: 27
From: Surrey
Occupation: Graphic designer/ ring girl/ shot girl
How would your friends/ family describe you? They’d probably describe me as a predator. I’m super flirty! I give off big energy and boys gravitate towards me and I’m always flirty.
Billy Brown
Name: Billy Brown
Age: 23
Location: Surrey
Occupation: Roofing company director
Why Love Island and why now? ‘I’ve had two girlfriends before, I was obviously going to try and find the lucky third one!’
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