Taylor Frankie Paul's 'Bachelorette' Contestants Shocked by Abuse Allegations

The men competing for Taylor Frankie Paul's love on "The Bachelorette" say they were blindsided by the abuse allegations against the reality star ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ spoke with multiple contestants who said they were caught off guard by the allegations because their experience with Taylor was completely different. They all described her as kind, genuine, and well-intentioned -- saying they saw a softer, more authentic side of her during filming that doesn’t match the accusations.

While they acknowledge the allegations are troubling, the contestants believe there are misconceptions about her and say she came on the show with a pure heart, trying to do the right thing for herself.

They also described her as consistently pleasant to be around, noting their interactions showed a version of her they believe people aren’t seeing right now. So, for now, many of them have TFP's back ... urging the public not to rush to judgment, and adding the full truth will come out over time.

TMZ broke the story ... Taylor and her baby daddy, Dakota Mortensen, have both been ordered to undergo psychological evaluations following allegations of physical violence.

Sources connected to Taylor say Dakota accused her of abusing their son, Ever, which she denies, and claims he attacked her during a recent argument.