The ACT Is Set To Make Stealthing Illegal

Efforts are underway in the Australian Capital Territory to criminalise stealthing.

The sex act is when a man wearing a condom removes the sheath during intercourse without the other person's knowledge.

It can affect the victim physically and emotionally and states and countries around the world have been outlawing the practice.

The Canberra Liberals are trying to get sexual consent legislation updated to include stealthing.

Opposition leader Elizabeth Lee said stealthing needs to be eradicated from the community because the risks for the victim are too high.

Not only can it lead to unwanted pregnancies, but also sexually transmitted infections and diseases, and can cause a host of mental health issues like depression, anxiety and even PTSD.

In a statement, Ms Lee said: "Stealthing is an appalling thing to do to any woman; any man; any person. It completely erodes the trust that a person can put in someone during the most vulnerable of moments.

"It is a violation of dignity and autonomy."

Ms Lee noted how a New Zealand court recently convicted an Auckland man of rape after he stealthed a woman during sex. She said if it works for one of our closest neighbours, it should work for the ACT.

The Opposition leader has introduced a bill to the ACT Legislative Assembly to add stealthing under the definition of rape.

It appears the bill already has the support of ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury, who already believes the sexual act is the same as rape.

But he has warned authorities will need to be very clear about how they word the legislative amendment.

"A strong and clear criminal justice response to sexual offending is important, not only for victims and survivors but also the entire community," Mr Rattenbury said.

"Put simply, stealthing is rape. It is important that we have society-wide culture that understands and promotes sexual safety and consent."

A study done from researchers at Monash University in 2018 uncovered the shocking number of people who were victims of the sex act.

The research found one in three women and one in five men had been stealthed at least once in the lives.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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