Law Commons^™

Yes, “Stealthing” Is Sexual Assault… And We Need To Address It, Mikaela Shapiro

Touro Law Review

Nonconsensual condom removal, more popularly known as “stealthing,” exposes victims to potential physical risks such as pregnancy and disease and, as victims make clear, feelings of violation and shame. Such condom removal changes sex from consensual sex into nonconsensual sex. There are currently no laws criminalizing stealthing in the United States. This Note considers possible criminal and civil remedies victims may seek in a court of law. Conditional consent, initial consent to sexual activity that is contingent upon intercourse with a condom and may be revoked once that condom is removed, is a key factor in stealthing cases. Ultimately, this …