Young people reveal views on criminal 'sex trend' called 'stealthing'

About 1 successful 10 radical nether 25 are unsure - oregon bash not judge - that removing a condom during enactment is simply a crime, according to a UK survey.

The online survey by researchers astatine University College London (UCL) asked 1,729 radical aged betwixt 18 and 25 for their views connected alleged 'stealthing'.

'Stealthing' is erstwhile a condom is removed during enactment without consent and is classed arsenic rape successful England and Wales.

Researchers said the survey - the archetypal of its benignant successful the UK - showed astir (99%) considered non-consensual condom removal to beryllium wrong, but a little proportionality classed it arsenic a crime.

Given a scope of scenarios, astir 87.8% agreed that stealthing was intersexual assault, 8.9% were unsure and 3.1% thought it was not an offence.

The TV play I May Destroy You raised consciousness of the contented erstwhile the main character, played by Michaela Coel, becomes a unfortunate of the offence.

According to the study, published successful the Plos One journal, views differed depending connected the benignant of narration and consequences.

When asked whether a situation condemnation for stealthing was appropriate, 52.1% agreed if the unfortunate became pregnant, portion it was 41.6% if the unfortunate became depressed.

And 53.9% felt a jailhouse condemnation was tenable if it was a casual encounter, but that fell to 47.2% if it happened successful a semipermanent relationship.

The peer-reviewed survey besides showed that - erstwhile figures were adjusted to equilibrium for the larger fig of pistillate responses - men were little apt to presumption it arsenic intersexual battle than women, astatine 83% compared with 91.4%.

Senior writer Dr Geraldine Barrett, from UCL's EGA Institute for Women's Health, said: "Non-consensual condom removal during sex, sometimes called stealthing, has precocious emerged successful the nationalist and ineligible spheres arsenic a 'sex trend'.

"Given that they are successful power of the condom, it's truly important that young men recognize that it's not conscionable a enactment trend, it's a crime."

Lead writer Dr Farida Ezzat said: "Regardless of result oregon narration status, the overwhelming bulk of respondents believed the non-consensual condom removal is simply a usurpation of consent to sex, morally wrong, and criminal."

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In June, the Metropolitan Police said they would "continue to rise consciousness that this transgression is simply a signifier of rape" and Guy Mukendi of Brixton successful southbound London was sentenced to much than 4 years successful situation for taking a condom helium was wearing disconnected without consent during sex.