Women's Aid applaud Love Island fans for 'being vocal' about Joe Garratt's 'possessive' behaviour

Women’s Aid have commended Love Island viewers for “being aware” of Joe Garrett’s “possisive behaviour” towards Lucie Donlan.

The charity released a statement applauding fans of the show for being “very vocal” in warning signs of a potentially abusive relationship, after 302 viewers complained to Ofcom about the way Lucie was being treated.

They said in a statement: “Controlling behaviour is never acceptable, and with Love Island viewers complaining to Ofcom in record numbers about Joe’s possessive behaviour towards Lucie, more people are becoming aware of this and want to challenge it.

“Abusive relationships often start off with subtle signs of control, so it’s important that it is recognised at an early stage. Love Island viewers are now very vocal in calling out unhealthy behaviour between couples on the show, and this is a positive development.”

“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.”

Over the past week, viewers have been left uncomfortable watching “controlling” Joe as he questioned whether he could “trust” Lucie after she began to form a friendship with Tommy Fury, slamming her behaviour as “strange” and saying he “wasn’t happy with it”.

During an intense conversation following Lucie’s chat with Tommy, Joe urged her to “get close to the girls” and hinted that he found it “disrespectful” that she was talking to the professional boxer.

Love Island have since responded to the statement, reiterating that they have “dedicated welfare producers and psychological support on hand” if an islander feels they need to talk.

“We take the emotional well-being of all the Islanders extremely seriously,” the statement read. “We have dedicated welfare producers and psychological support on hand at all times who monitor and regularly speak to all of the Islanders in private and off camera, especially if someone appears to be upset.

“All the Islanders are therefore fully supported by the professionals on site and by their friends in the villa. This means Islanders are always able to reach out and talk to someone if they feel the need. We will of course continue to monitor all of our Islanders in line with our robust protocols.”

Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2.