It’s not just Harrison who should be called out on MAFS

Married At First Sight fans have been quick to slam Harrison for his behaviour. But there’s another contestant getting away with similar actions.

OPINION

This season of Married At First Sight has shone a bright light on the complexities of gaslighting – and Harrison isn’t the only culprit.

On the show, Harrison, who is ‘married’ to the gym first and Bronte second, has been a prime example of a man who accepts no responsibility for his behaviour and spends most of his time manipulating Bronte.

It is gross and confronting to watch.

On a mass scale, Harrison has become the public’s enemy.

Yet Alyssa has also been known to gaslight her husband, and her actions haven’t been called out as widely.

In Alyssa’s defence, she’s not downplaying having sexual relationships before she joined the show. But, she seems to excel in making ‘husband’ Duncan feel bad even when he didn’t do anything wrong.

It is more subtle. It is real blink-and-you’ll-miss-it behaviour.

Alyssa wants attention at any cost. Picture: Nine

Harrison has been called out over his behaviour. Picture: Nine

A prime example came when all the dysfunctional couples went on a couple’s retreat. Basically, it was just everyone in a giant house feuding.

Alyssa become furious with Duncan for not spending enough time with her. So what did he do? Ignore her? Give her the silent treatment? No.

He played a game of tennis with the disgraced Harrison – and Alyssa bit off his head about it.

Alyssa was putting on make-up when Duncan went to go and speak with her. (The man wasn’t ignoring her! He was seeking her out.)

She then made it clear she wasn’t happy, with a facial expression like she’d eaten something gross.

“You’ve just been with the boys,” she said.

Duncan tried to say that she’d also just spent the whole day with the girls, but then she shouted: “I had no idea where you were!”

She then followed this up by explaining she did know where he was as she saw him playing tennis.

“And you didn’t want to come over?” Duncan asked.

She let out a sigh and said: “Why didn’t you invite us over?”

Um, because he was playing tennis?

Alyssa is very upset for no reason. Picture: Nine

Harrison is getting trolled for his behaviour. Picture: Facebook

I know it sounds silly but this is textbook stuff: Make the person you are with feel crazy for acting perfectly normally.

If Alyssa wanted to spend time with Duncan she should have communicated that with him. Not sulked and then accused him of ignoring her.

This behaviour is completely designed to paint Alyssa as the victim and Duncan as the villain. And it is eerily similar to what Harrison has done to Bronte.

Alyssa decides to stay but is very unhappy with Duncan. Picture: Nine

After the retreat, Alyssa consistently accused Duncan of ignoring her, when he simply wasn’t.

How much can you ignore someone that you are stuck in a tiny apartment with? Particularly when there’s some 25-year-old producer crammed in there with you too?

Alyssa continued the charade through the commitment ceremony where she stormed off for no reason claiming she felt “sick”.

Duncan then followed her to make sure she was OK, but she dramatically shooed him away.

“She made it clear she needed to leave this space and [didn’t] want me near her. It feels like I’m walking on eggshells,” Duncan said.

He is right, of course. She’s creating an environment where Duncan constantly feels like he can’t do anything right.

She may act unhappy and fed-up, but after storming out she dramatically strode back in, declaring she was staying – before angrily saying: “Can we get off the couch please?”

Alyssa appears more likeable than Harrison – she’s less gym bro and more girl next door – but the games she is playing with Duncan are just as awful as the way Harrison treats Bronte, and should be called out.

If Australia doesn’t let Harrison get away with this kind of behaviour we shouldn’t give Alyssa a free pass either.