Man convicted of removing condom during sex without consent, or 'stealthing,' in the Netherlands
A man in the Netherlands was convicted of removing a condom during sex without his partner’s consent, marking the first trial in the country for “stealthing."
The 28-year-old man from Rotterdam was given a three-month suspended prison sentence. That means he will not have to serve the term unless he commits another crime. He will also have to pay the victim $1,000 euros, or approximately $1,054, for damages.
The Dordrecht District Court found the sex was consensual between both partners, acquitting the man of rape charges.
“By his actions, the suspect forced the victim to tolerate having unprotected sex with him. In doing so, he restricted her personal freedom and abused the trust she had placed in him,” the court said, according to The Associated Press.
California lawmakers in 2021 made it illegal to remove a condom without obtaining consent from a partner, outlawing stealthing. Lawmakers did not change the state’s criminal code, instead amending the civil code so a victim could sue a perpetrator for damages.
Canada’s top court has previously ruled that stealthing can be prosecuted as sexual assault, among other countries.
Politics: California moves to be the first state to outlaw 'stealthing,' or removing condom
Wellness: What would a 'stealthing' ban mean for survivors of sexual violence?
What is stealthing? ‘A form of power and control’
Stealthing, which occurs when someone removes a condom during intercourse without the consent of a sexual partner, is abusive, experts say.
Indira Henard, executive director of the DC Rape Crisis Center, previously told Paste BN that "The ramifications of (stealthing) are monumental.”
"Stealthing is not just a form of emotional abuse and sexual abuse, it can be used to get someone stuck in a relationship. Pregnancy can result ... STIs ... It's a form of power and control," Henard says.
A 2019 U.S. study found that 49% of women participants had experienced coercive condom use resistance from a partner and 12% reported experiencing stealthing.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE & online.rainn.org).
Contributing: Sara M Moniuszko, Paste BN; Associated Press