Sarah Trott 'Unequivocally' Denies Having a Boyfriend While on The Bachelor

Though she self-eliminated from The Bachelor during an episode earlier this month, Sarah Trott is still embroiled in the show's drama. 

Following her exit, rumors began circulating that the 24-year-old broadcast journalist was dating a musician named Ben Dorman, also known as DJ Bijou, during the time that she was a contestant on Matt James' season of the ABC reality series. 

The reports came as photos surfaced of Trott vacationing in Mexico with Dorman and some others in August, weeks before filming began for The Bachelor. 

In a statement to E! News, however, Trott's team denied the rumors, sharing that though she and Dorman may have had "some intimate moments" while on their trip, they were not dating. 

"Sarah unequivocally did not have a boyfriend before, during or after her appearance on The Bachelor," a rep for Trott said in a statement. "When she took a trip to Cabo in August 2020, she did so with a group of friends, Ben Dorman being one of them." 

"Ben and Sarah had a fun trip with their mutual friends, and while there may have been some intimate moments between them, it did not lead to a relationship," the statement continued. "Sarah went on the trip to Cabo single and came back single, still on her journey to find love, which is why she agreed to go on The Bachelor a month or so later." 

A rep for Trott did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. 

Trott left The Bachelor early, telling lead James that she didn't think she could go on after an episode that featured a few hostile exchanges between herself and a few fellow contestants.

"I just felt really called to go home and be with my family," said Trott, whose father has ALS. "I just don't think I'm ready for this."

Hours after it aired, she shared a post on Instagram with a lengthy caption about the value of women supporting other women.

"We see the quote 'women supporting women' all the time on the internet but what does that really mean? To me, it means sharing encouragement instead of judgment," she captioned the post. "Refraining from negative comments even when it's sometimes easier to say something mean instead of something nice."

"It means supporting a female owned business and paying full price," she continued. "It means supporting a younger woman in your industry and offering guidance and support when appropriate. It means valuing community over competition. It does NOT mean you have to pretend to like everyone always. That's impossible. But it DOES mean being a good person, keeping your head up and refraining from degrading another human being." 

"You never know the internal battles another person is going through. At the end of the day, please just be a decent, kind individual," Trott concluded. 

The post itself featured a rather pointed quote — "Real queens fix each other's crowns," an apparent reference to fellow contestant Victoria Larson, who has dubbed herself "the Queen."

The Bachelor airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC.

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