Stealthing

Stealthing is the act of removing a condom during sex without a partner’s knowledge or consent. It can also include damaging a condom or not using one after agreeing to protected sex. Because the partner consented only to sex with protection, stealthing is widely considered a serious violation of consent and is often treated as a form of sexual assault. Stealthing can cause real harm, including exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and risk of unintended pregnancy. It can also cause anxiety, distress, or trauma and feelings of betrayal for the partner whose consent was violated. Laws on stealthing vary by location, but many places now treat it as a serious offense. Some jurisdictions address it under sexual assault laws, while others allow civil claims or have created specific laws around the behavior. Courts in parts of Europe and North America have ruled that misleading a partner about condom use can invalidate consent. ### Origins of the Term Stealthing The term stealthing likely emerged in online and gay community discussions in the early 2010s. One of the earliest online references comes from a journal article about it published in 2014. While the behavior itself is not new, the name became widely known around 2017 after academic research and media coverage brought attention to it. Since then, it has been used more broadly to describe non-consensual condom removal and has become part of public health and legal discussions around consent.