Married At First Sight Australia’s Olivia Frazer has a petition fighting to bring justice to her actions for ‘image-based abuse.’
A petition has been made, demanding justice for the image-based abuse perpetuated by Olivia Frazer during her time on Married At First Sight. The petition has already received over 123,000 votes and calls for the E-safety commissioner to look at the case, which has since happened.
The caption of the petition can be read below.
“Tonight (16/03/2022) on ‘Married At First Sight’ Australia (S9E28) it was revealed the participant ‘Olivia Frazer’ shared an intimate image of another participant ‘Domenica Calarco’ with the other participants in the program, without Domenica’s consent.
This meets the official definition of ‘image based abuse’ outlined on the e-safety commissioner’s website “Image-based abuse occurs when an intimate image or video is shared without the consent of the person pictured”.
As such, I would like to petition the e-safety commissioner to immediately take action against Olivia Frazer, in order to make it clear this kind of abuse is not acceptable, especially on a nationally syndicated television program in which both the victim and the perpetrator have taken part.”
Since the petition has reached its latest peak, the creator of the petition, Pete Joyce, has issued an update addressing harassment towards Olivia Frazer.
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“Hi Again Everyone,
As we head into the penultimate night of this year’s MAFS season (aka ‘Reunion Night’) here on the Eastern Seaboard, I just wanted to share some follow-up thoughts on the petition, and the developments since.
Firstly, and once again, thank you for signing the petition, and calling out the behaviour we saw, and which the petition arose from. I’ve had a number of heartfelt and touching messages from people who saw this petition not just within the single context of Olivia’s behaviour towards Domenica involving the image in question, but more broadly in terms of similar things that have happened to them or their loved ones, colleagues and friends.
As I stated from the outset, this kind of behaviour is not OK, and the 123,000+ of you who signed have made it clear you agree with my sentiment.
Many conversations were started, and my hope is that any contestants on MAFS in future, the production company running the show, and people out in ‘the real world’ will look at this moment, and hopefully think twice about sharing someone’s intimate image to ‘shame’ them, ‘control’ them, for ‘revenge’, or for any other purpose which causes harm. As I also mentioned in my last update, NSW Police have commenced an investigation into the incident, so I think we can (rightly) consider our petition successful.
That all said, it wouldn’t feel ‘right’ to me, and hopefully it wouldn’t feel right to you, if I didn’t also use this opportunity to ‘call out’ some equally toxic behaviour that’s occurred since this petition went ‘viral’, and since the relevant episodes went to air. I’m talking about the unfortunate behaviour of some people who have made various threats or engaged in other personal abuse towards Olivia Frazer, or (worse still) towards her family, friends and loved ones.
This is also not OK, because as the saying goes “two wrongs don’t make a right”. Yes – there is no excuse for Olivia’s sharing of Domenica’s intimate image, and although interviews she has done since this petition was launched show she still has no insight into the gravity or inappropriateness of her behaviour, we can only hope someone in her inner circle (or perhaps someone from NSW Police) will explain it to her in a way she can finally understand.
There is equally no excuse for personal abuse of someone who is ultimately a ‘stranger’ to you and I, much less their family. As I’ve already mentioned, a police investigation has been launched, and even if she doesn’t understand the ‘why’ yet, I think it’s safe to say Olivia is very much aware 123,000+ of her fellow humans didn’t approve of her behaviour in this situation.
Our petition was successful – in my case far beyond my wildest imaginings – and that’s where it should end. It’s time to sit back, let the ‘process’ take it’s course, and remember that in spite of her behaviour, Olivia Frazer is a human being. In the immortal words of Jerry Springer, “until next time, take care of yourselves, and each other”.
Thanks”
