Love Is Blind participant sues show for allegedly ignoring sexual assault

Netflix’s Love Is Blind has been hit with a new lawsuit this week, with fifth-season participant Tran Dang alleging that she was sexually assaulted by her former fiancé on the series, Thomas Smith, while they were both still on the show. In her suit, Dang alleges that the series’ producers knew about the assault, and prevented her from leaving the show, both claims that the show’s production companies, Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, deny.

This is per Variety, which quotes Dang’s lawsuit, in which her lawyers wrote that, “Smith, and without Ms. Dang’s consent, forcefully groped her, exposed himself in the nude, and repeatedly made sexual contact over her express objections. Because of [Kinetic Content and Delirium TV’s] 24-hour surveillance of cast members, most, if not all, of these traumatic acts were likely captured on film.” The suit also accuses the TV companies of false imprisonment, stating that Dang was “prohibited from leaving her hotel room without express permission” during her time on the series.

News of the suit comes as the popular dating show faces increased scrutiny, after a report from Insider back in April alleged that the show subjected participants to extreme conditions, encouraged alcohol abuse, and was otherwise insensitive to their well-being and mental health. (Including revelations that leaving the show early, without the approval of producers, could cost participants $50,000 in damages.)

Dang’s lawsuit alleges that Smith assaulted her during the show’s “couples retreat” segment, the first time that participants are allowed to physically interact with the people they’ve been talking unseen with for the preceding 10 days. She says that, a week later, he called her and harassed her, and says she repeatedly tried to inform producers of what was going on, but was told that, after raising concerns, she would still be required to film a final scene for the show.

Kinetic Content and Delirium TV deny, basically, all of it, stating that it doesn’t film cast members at all times, that Dang never raised concerns to producers, and that it lets participants out when they ask. Calling her accusations “meritless,” the two production companies issues a joint statement today in which they wrote that, “Ms. Dang continued in the experiment for weeks after the time her lawyers now claim an incident occurred. We deny and will vigorously defend the allegations against us.” Meanwhile, lawyers for Smith denied the allegations of assault, writing that, “We do not comment on ongoing litigation.”