Is ‘Love is Blind’ facing a sexual assault lawsuit? The controversy, explained

Season 5 of Netflix’s Love is Blind is easily the most contentious season yet.

A major selling point behind the series is drama, of course, but this season took things to a new level. A couple got engaged, enjoyed their honeymoon, and even made it to the altar only for their storyline to be cut, and a lawsuit loomed over the season’s staggered fall release. That’s on top of the typical drama, which saw two participants who knew each other outside the pods participate for the first time, and followed plenty of highs and lows among the couples that actually did make the final cut.

The end result is a highly-watchable mess, complete with obvious gaps — where those cuts were a touch too clear — and plenty of wounded feelings. It’s the looming lawsuit that’s really weighing the showdown, however, as fans wonder just what went wrong in season 5.

Is Love is Blind facing a lawsuit?

Netflix and the team behind Love is Blind are in fact facing a lawsuit over events that transpired during filming for season 5. This isn’t the first lawsuit levied against the company, but it is easily the most controversial. It also comes uncomfortably soon after the first, which was brought by a season 2 contestant in 2022, and alleged that the streamer, and producers behind the series, plied contestants with alcohol, denied them food, and deprived them of sleep in order to get racy footage.

The allegations of inhumane working conditions, paired with inadequate pay, were brought by season 2 contestant Jeremy Hartwell. He notes that participants worked sometimes 20-hour days but were paid a flat weekly rate, which ultimately equaled out to far less than California’s minimum wage — where Netflix headquarters is located.

The latest lawsuit is far more concerning. Hartwell’s accusations are troubling as well, of course, but the season 5 lawsuit relates to an alleged sexual assault. It also repeats some of the accusations made by Hartwell, indicating that Netflix hasn’t learned much since that 2022 legal drama.

What prompted the lawsuit?

The season 5 lawsuit was reportedly filed in response to a sexual assault that occurred during the course of filming, and likely would have appeared in footage, had footage of the couple in question been included in the season. The lawsuit was filed by contestant Tran Dang, who is accusing production company Kinetic Content of false imprisonment and negligence. She claims she was sexually assaulted, during filming for season 5, by her then-fiancé, and that the crew behind Love is Blind did nothing to stop it or assist her.

Love is Blind‘s creator, Chris Coelen, spoke out about the lawsuit in the wake of Dang’s filing. In an exclusive interview with People, he noted that, while he openly supports people coming forward about sexual assault, Dang allegedly never informed production staff “that she felt unsafe or experienced any of the allegations that she made.”

“If anybody ever came to us and said they felt unsafe in any way, we would immediately remove them from the experiment and talk to them, and try to get to the bottom of it,” Coelen continued. “Unfortunately, in this case, that kind of sentiment was never addressed to us in any way, nor was any alleged wrongdoing brought to our attention ever.”

This same sentiment was echoed by both Kinetic Content and Delirium TV, which is likewise involved in the show’s production. Both companies touted support for sexual assault victims and speaking up, but called Dang’s claims against Love is Blind “meritless.”

Dang also echoed Hartwell’s complaints of excessive alcohol, lack of freedom, and limited access to food, which the team behind Love is Blind likewise contested. They noted that, during filming, cast members are free to leave at any time — and several people did so, over the course of season 5 — and that access to food is regularly provided. In footage of season 5, it’s worth noting that participants are often seen enjoying various snacks while chatting in the pods. It seems that access to light food, at the very least, was in fact available.

As for alcohol, that’s harder to say. It’s impossible to tell what’s in those iconic gold Love is Blind cups, but it makes sense that alcohol is a major factor in the Love is Blind formula. Both in the pods and out, participants seem like they drink fairly often, which likely impacts their decision-making — but also their comfort levels.

The claims of false imprisonment appear to be relatively easily debunked, considering that cast members Aaliya and Uche both left the show before even making a match, and Taylor and JP later left, post-engagement, when communication between them failed. Plenty of cast members have made their early exit before and never seemed to face major consequences. There is reportedly an escort provided for mid-pod bathroom breaks, due to the confusing layout of the set, but apart from that cast members are allegedly free to move about at their leisure.

That doesn’t mean that Dang’s lawsuit will fall flat, of course. Some of her claims may not hold up enough to carry a successful lawsuit, but those claims of a sexual assault, and alleged lack of assistance, are deeply distressing. This show is intended to help people find love, and the idea that someone could be attacked and abused during filming is a major issue. Hopefully, Netflix and Dang will come to terms the former participant is satisfied with, and the crew behind Love is Blind can work to ensure that no one else feels unsafe on set again.