Paul alleges repeated abuse by Mortensen

Paul started her declaration by stating the obvious for fans of the Hulu reality series: “Mine and Dakota’s relationship has been tumultuous, with several periods in which we have argued or outright broken up.”

She wrote that Mortensen realized their relationship was over in February, “which led him to take actions that scared me and made me fear for my safety.”

After Paul was selected as “The Bachelorette,” she said Mortensen “became increasingly possessive,” texting her after promotional spots for the show aired to tell her he still loves her — communications she characterized as “unsolicited by me.”

On Feb. 17, 2026, Mortensen texted Paul a photo of her initials — “TFP” — tattooed inside his lip, she said.

“Considering his increasingly possessive and erratic behavior, and considering the fact that we were not in a relationship, this was extremely alarming,” Paul wrote in the declaration. “My initials are now permanently tattooed on the body of a man who has been abusive toward and possessive of me.”

Days later, on Feb. 22, Paul said Mortensen came to her house with their son Ever to discuss their relationship. She said that after some time, she asked him to leave, but he refused and became hostile.

“When we argue and he refuses to leave my house, it puts me on edge, partly due to the extreme size and strength disparity between us, this worries me,” she said, noting that Mortensen weighs around 200 pounds, and she weighs 95.

Paul said Mortensen intimidated her by calling 911 and threatening to make false allegations when she demanded that he leave. Instead, Mortensen told police that he had a concern about their “sick” child, she said, noting that it was clear that the call was made to intimidate her — something she admitted was “successful.”

Mortensen left but returned later that day with their son, Paul said. When she refused to “hang out,” Mortensen, again, left.

In her declaration, Paul wrote that later that night, “The Bachelorette” social media accounts started teasing something coming “tomorrow,” and that Mortensen then sent a “string of unsettling text messages.”

“I just feel so lost,” one of Mortensen’s texts said, according to Paul’s declaration.

Mortensen returned to Paul’s home early Feb. 23, she said. They spoke outside in his truck because her three children were asleep in the house.

Paul said that Mortensen started to drive off while she was in the vehicle. She said she asked him to bring her home, but he kept driving and their fighting continued.

Paul alleged in her declaration that Mortensen “grabbed my head and slammed it against the dashboard,” causing a bruise. She said she tried to push him off and pull away, but Mortensen pulled her toward him.

He drove her home but came back 10 minutes later, “looking for sex,” and lingering outside her window, Paul said in her declaration.

She said Mortensen called the police only “after assaulting me and only having his demands for sex denied.”

Paul wrote in the declaration that “we each allege that we were physically assaulted by the other,” which is reflected in a statement from a police spokesperson in Draper, Utah. The spokesperson told NBC News that officials are investigating claims of domestic violence against the pair, with allegations in both directions.

Police in West Jordan, Utah, also said they are reviewing an open domestic violence investigation into an alleged 2024 incident that Mortensen reported and has allegations only against Paul.

In court Tuesday, an attorney for Paul said Draper police have decided not to file charges against Paul or Mortensen in the Feb. 22-23 case. The Draper Police Department and the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for more information on potential charges.

FORSUBSCRIBERS

Why ABC broke up with its ‘Bachelorette’

01:34

Paul detailed an alleged “pattern of abuse” by Mortensen that she said includes stalking, harassing and physical abuse, as well as “love bombing” and public humiliation.

“I was very excited to be the next Bachelorette,” Paul said in her declaration. The first episode was set to air March 22, but Paul said ABC yanked the season on March 19 after TMZ published the video of Paul appearing to attack Mortensen in 2023.

In the declaration, Paul said Mortensen is the person who leaked the video to TMZ.

Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to one charge of aggravated assault in connection with the 2023 incident. The other four charges were dropped.

Paul said she no longer wants contact with Mortensen.

“Dakota’s actions, both his public embarrassment of me and his abuse in private, have been devastating,” Paul wrote in the declaration. “I am so tired of his physical and emotional abuse.”