'Stealthing' brings calls to penalize nonconsensual removal of condoms

Attorneys at Capitol question necessity of legislation to address specific act of sexual misconduct

Rep. Kadyn Wittman (D-Sioux Falls) answers questions from the House Judiciary Committee. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — A lesson in what “stealthing” is — the non-consensual removal of a condom during sex — was enough to compel the House Judiciary Committee to pass a bill that would make clear such an act is wrong.

Carried by Rep. Kadyn Wittman, House Bill 1204 seeks to explicitly state in law that victims of stealthing can pursue civil charges against the perpetrator.

The freshman lawmaker from Sioux Falls, in an impassioned speech to the House Judiciary Committee, said she brought the bill after a friend became the victim of slealthing, an incident that led to an unplanned pregnancy.

That friend, Georgilee Flynn, told her story in a crowded meeting room on the fourth floor of the Capitol.

“There is a very good chance that someone close to you has experienced stealthing,” the Sioux Falls woman said, adding that state law is silent on the non-consensual removal of condoms during sex, leaving victims with an ability to hold perpetrators accountable. “There is a good chance that they saw their limited options, and chose to stay silent.” 

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