SVT's review of the Swedish media's collective coverage of reality soaps shows 14 previous events during the 2000s that are reminiscent of what has now happened in Paradise Hotel.

The severity moves across a spectrum, from police reports of abuse to participants who tell of stuttering and unwelcome approaches. 

Two recurring patterns can be seen.

Firstly, as a rule, the productions do not intervene when the events occur, despite the fact that the cameras roll around the clock and that according to the media companies there should always be someone who keeps track of the participants.  

Secondly, almost no Swedish media report on the events, outside Aftonbladet and Expressen's entertainment editorial offices.

Whether it is because the reality soaps have a low status, or a media disinterest in sexual abuse, is difficult to say. 

But over time, decade after decade, interest in this type of event seems to grow: 

In an early season of

Big Brother, outraged viewers criticized a suspected assault on a sleeping woman.

Channel 5's then CEO calls the incident a mischief in interviews.

When several viewers report the channel to the police, the woman - that is, the suspected victim - is kicked out of the competition.

It became indefensible to keep her, explains one producer, and the program continues after this as planned.

In the 10s, a certain difference is noticeable:

A woman is locked in a room by two men who try to force her to have oral sex, before the door is opened from the outside.

The case is noticed in a long line of Swedish media, and the two men are kicked out of the Big Brother competition.  

However, the production company did not intervene during the event itself, and no major consequences for Big Brother can be seen in the media reporting either.  

Those who produce the reality soaps seem to avoid difficult questions and reviews almost no matter what happens: One sleeping participant gets objects stuffed in his ass, another alerts about extensive pawing, a third threatens to rape participants in their sleep.

Media interest is moderate, the consequences few - until now. 

At the time of writing, more articles have been published in the Swedish media about the events reported to the police in Paradise Hotel 2021 than about all the 14 previous events combined.

It is clear that the media's interest in abuse in a short time has changed radically. 

For Nent and Mastiff, the 

media companies behind Paradise Hotel, this change is likely to be shocking - and the question of how it could happen is difficult to answer.

The fact that similar events have taken place in the past in both our own program and that of our competitors is a weak defense. 

Encouraging participants to wildly party, cross-border behavior and sex in front of the cameras has been central to the Big Brother and Paradise Hotel concepts for 20 years. The question is whether or not the scandal party is over now, in the wake of the Metoo call, the new consent legislation and a changed view of the seriousness of the issue.