Love Island Star Expresses Shock at Classification of Condom Removal During Sex as Rape

A former participant of Love Island expressed profound surprise upon learning that the act of removing a condom during sexual intercourse is legally defined as rape. This act, known as stealthing, occurs when an individual removes a condom during sex that was initially consensual, without the other person’s knowledge or consent. Megan Barton-Hanson stated that she encountered this situation on as many as six occasions, with the man involved asserting that the condom had torn each time, which ultimately resulted in her undergoing an abortion. The 30-year-old informed the BBC, stating, “I didn’t know it was a crime.” She further added, “I just thought that’s something between partners that you have to discuss with them.” Megan further explained that while she recognized his conduct as “unfair and unjust,” it was during a recording of the We Need to Talk podcast, after host Paul C Brunson informed her, that she comprehended the man’s actions constituted rape. She stated, “I’d never heard of stealthing, ever.” She elaborated, “When we started to have sex, the condom was obviously on – that was fine – and then at the end, he’d removed it intentionally but his excuse was ‘it split and it broke’.” She concluded, “It was shocking.” The Metropolitan Police indicated that while “stealthing” is a colloquial term, the act itself is legally categorized as rape. However, prosecutions for this offense are infrequent, attributed to low reporting rates, as many individuals are unaware it constitutes a crime. A survey conducted by University College London (UCL) in October revealed that slightly more than one in 10 individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 did not perceive the non-consensual removal of a condom as sexual assault. Andrea Simon, the executive director of End Violence Against Women and Girls, affirmed that even if sexual activity begins consensually, the violation of that consent through the removal of a condom renders the act rape and it is prosecutable as such. She explained, “It’s very hard to know the prevalence of stealthing, as not many people may understand it as actually an act of sexual violence or a crime.” She emphasized, “It’s really important that men, in particular, understand that it’s criminal behaviour to intentionally remove a condom during sex without consent and we know that it speaks very much to men’s sense of entitlement over women’s bodies and it’s a violation of women’s bodily autonomy.” This issue was depicted in the fourth episode of the BBC drama I May Destroy You in 2020, featuring the main character Arabella engaging in sexual intercourse with a man who removed the condom without her awareness. Arabella, the character, does not recognize the act as rape until she hears it being discussed on a podcast. Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England and Wales, stated that the gravity of this type of sexual violence is precisely conveyed by the terminology used to describe it. She affirmed, “So-called stealthing is a form of rape under English and Welsh law.” She further clarified, “If someone has received consent for sex on the basis that they will wear a condom and they then remove the condom without the other person’s knowledge or permission, consent for sex from that point is lost.” Megan’s counsel for individuals who might harbor concerns is unambiguous. She advised: “I think if you’ve got any kind of suspicions, red flags, tell a friend, tell someone and then you can go together and share to the police.” She continued, “You don’t have to make it a big old deal; you can call from the comfort of your own home, but I think definitely reach out to somebody because it’s not fair and it’s not OK.” Additional reporting was provided by Sonja Jessup and Jessica Ure. For individuals who have experienced sexual abuse or violence, information regarding assistance and support can be found via the BBC Action Line. The best of BBC Radio London is available on Sounds, and BBC London can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content hosted on external websites. Information regarding their policy on external linking is available.