New Zealand man is convicted of rape for 'stealthing' after he removed a condom during sex consent

A male has been convicted of rape after he removed a condom during intercourse without the woman’s consent, in a process known as ‘stealthing’. 

The man in question is from Wellington, New Zealand and is reportedly the first case of this type in the country.

Stealthing is an act where a condom is removed without consent during intercourse, specifically when the partner only consented to intercourse with a condom.

Stealthing happens when a man takes off a condom during intercourse when intercourse was only consensual due to the condom (stock image)

The male is due to appear in court for sentencing later this month in a case that is expected to set a precedent for future trials.  

Victoria University of Wellington’s Dr Samantha Keene said that the conviction acknowledges that consent to have intercourse with someone with a condom does not mean consent is given to have intercourse without one, the NZ Herald reported.  

‘Removing a condom during sex exposes the people involved in that activity to health risks, so sexually transmitted infections, HIV and in heterosexual encounters, unintentional pregnancies.’

If you or anyone you know has been affected please reach out to: 1800 RESPECT (stock image)

The conviction comes following a report by the NZ Herald that revealed the number of sexual assaults in Wellington had surged by almost 50 per cent in the last five years.  

Reports of sexual assaults and related offences have gone from 157 in 2015 to 230 in 2020, overall a 46 per cent increase inside the Wellington police boundary.

The conviction comes at a time just after former Australian private schoolgirl Chanel Contos released a petition that received hundreds of signatures about young women’s struggles with sexual abuse and other stories of rape. 

If you or someone you know is or has struggled with sexual abuse, contact: 1800 RESPECT