What Is Stealthing? Dutch Court Finds A Man Guilty Of It During Intercourse

In a ground-breaking judgement, a Dutch court found a 28-year-old man guilty of ‘stealthing’ during intercourse. The court decided the man had breached his partner's personal freedom and trust by forcing her to engage in unprotected intercourse.  A Rotterdam resident of Syrian descent was given a three-month suspended prison term and a 1,000 euro fine for damages by the court. This was the first case of stealthing in the Netherlands. The man admitted to coercion in a Rotterdam courtroom, he proceeded with the act of stealthing despite the woman saying no to unprotected sex in advance.

Dutch court finds man guilty of stealthing

Stealthing is the term used to describe when a male partner removes the condom before or during intercourse without first receiving his partner's consent. The term ‘non-consensual condom removal’ is sometimes used to describe stealthing. Occasionally the abuser would intentionally destroy the condom by poking holes in it rather than simply removing it, perhaps while it is still in its packet unopened. The female victim is at risk for STDs and unintended pregnancies if a condom is removed or damaged. Stealthing is seen as a type of forced reproduction.

When judges strive to decide how to handle cases involving unwanted sexual activities, ‘stealthing’ has grown in importance for courts all over the world. Stealthing has been more prevalent in recent years, which has led to the development of websites like Stealthing.nl in the Netherlands, which is operated by a stealthing victim. Yet, because authorities frequently classify them under rape accusations, monitoring these occurrences can be difficult.

The Netherlands' court's ruling is a significant step towards recognising and penalising the crime of stealthing. It emphasises the significance of consent during sexual intercourse as well as the confidence that couples have in one another during private times. It is crucial for legislators and judicial systems to take the appropriate efforts to protect victims and hold criminals accountable for their activities as the problem continues to get attention on a global scale.

Public broadcaster NOS noted that although there is no particular offence under Dutch law for stealthing, similar judgements have been made in other nations, including Germany, Switzerland, and New Zealand. In 2021, the US state of California outlawed the practice as well. Despite the fact that several countries have already made the practice of stealthing illegal, India has not given it the attention it needs. It is unfortunate that in a country where rape goes unreported because of social stigma, stealthing is not even acknowledged as a crime. Several countries make an effort to offer convincing justifications for why they view stealthing as a sexual offense.

Suggested reading- Today I Learnt: What Is Stealthing?