Imagine agreeing to sex only on the condition a condom is used. Imagine your partner removing it. Without your knowledge. Without your consent.

Imagine trying to interpret this act, desperately resorting to a Google search for answers. 

Imagine becoming pregnant as a result. And then, imagine being unable to access legal abortion.

Or, imagine holding tightly to your beliefs and refusing abortion, despite your perpetrator's insistence that you terminate the pregnancy his actions caused. Imagine raising that child. Alone.

Now, imagine the only way to hold your perpetrator financially accountable for this child is to file for child support, which in turn gives your assaulter custody and/or visitation rights.

Imagine requesting STI testing from your doctor, only to have them tell you the reason for your request - secret condom removal - is a serious yet lesser talked about form of sexual assault. 

Imagine your life being completely upended - missed work, missed school, childcare responsibilities and costs, a surge in mental health repercussions - while your perpetrator’s life remained unchanged. 

Nonconsensual condom removal, commonly called stealthing, is a dangerous form of sexual violence that happens to an estimated 43% of women and 19% of men who have sex with men. 

The only thing more alarming than the statistics? The fact laws in the United States have failed to keep up with the reality of the harms wrought by this prevalent act. At present, victims are forced to utilize nonspecific sexual assault and battery codes to seek justice. As a result, most forgo coming forward, allowing perpetrators the opportunity to repeat their actions. In fact, 10% of males not only admit to stealthing a sexual partner, but commonly repeat their behavior. 

In the United Kingdom, stealthing is a rape crime, punishable by a sentence of up to life in prison. Nine other countries, including our neighbor Canada, have likewise enacted federal legislation. Yet, despite the emerging recognition that stealthing is a dangerous form of sexual assault, the United States is behind. Very behind. In fact, only California, Washington, Vermont, and Maine have clear anti-stealthing legislation in place.

The Adjacent Project is trying to change that.

We are a group of survivors and allies working together to ensure nonconsensual condom removal language is specified in consent, gender based violence, or sexual assault and battery codes. 33.4 million Americans who rely on condoms to avoid the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections deserve to have protections. Every day we let pass, without clarifying existing or putting additional legislation in place, is another day allowing perpetrators to commit this selfish and senseless act.

There is a very good chance someone close to you has been affected by stealthing. 

Please, take a moment to sign the petition, urging U.S. lawmakers to modernize consent statutes by tightening legal language to include nonconsensual condom removal, and ultimately incentivizing states to pass similar laws. 

Together, we can stop stealthing.

Please share our petition using this link: link:https://www.change.org/stop_stealthing_now

Follow our campaign on Instagram @theadjacentproject