“Stealthing” is a slang term for removing a condom during intercourse without consent and California just became the first place to make it illegal. The law makes it a civil offense under state law for someone to remove protection without their partner’s consent.
This allows people who experience it to sue the perpetrators directly in civil court if they choose to.
The legislation was reportedly signed by the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, and sponsored by state Assemblymember Cristina Garcia. It was inspired by then law student Alexandra Brodsky’s law journal article in 2017, which has since been credited for kick-starting a wider discussion on the topic.
According to the journal, not only is nonconsensual condom removal a violation in itself, but it also poses the risk of unplanned pregnancies or the spread of sexually transmitted infections. Brodsky is now a civil rights attorney and author of the book “Sexual Justice”.
Meanwhile, a 2018 survey of patients at a sexual health clinic in Melbourne, Australia, has found that 32% of women and 19% of men had been stealthed.
“I do hope that other states follow,” Garcia told National Public Radio. “I do hope that this elevates the discussion.
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