What is Stealthing?

Stealthing is defined as the non-consensual removal of a condom. Although stealthing is not a legal term, it is a slang word. The legal term for this act is rape,?and the act is classified as rape under English and Welsh law. However, prosecutions for this type of crime are rare due to under-reporting, as many people do not realise it is an offence. ?

Stealthing is a total breach of consent and can have a life-changing impact on victims.?That is why we have transformed the way we investigate rape and sexual offences, and more than doubled the number of rape charges since 2021. ?

The Met has not always got it right, and tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a priority as we learn from our past mistakes and ensure victims are at the forefront of everything we do.

What we are doing

Our dedicated teams are devoted to protecting women and girls and eradicating sexual violence caused at the hands of predatory men and supporting those who are impacted by rape.?

Our victim-led approach means we are listening to survivors, and working together with charities and partners such as Rape Crisis and Radio Four to ensure that all survivors have the confidence to report these awful crimes.?

We are creating new teams made up of specialist investigators who will undergo significant training to ensure anyone who reports a sexual offence will be treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. ?

We are also putting an extra 565 people into specialist teams to prioritise targeting perpetrators.?These specialist teams are also experts in investigating domestic abuse, sexual offences, child sexual abuse and exploitation, harmful practices and safeguarding, and will work closely with local police teams and partners across London.?

We are putting plain clothes and uniformed officers in areas with higher VAWG-related reports. Officers are trained to look for predatory behaviour, intervene and challenge any predatory behaviour before it escalates. This tactic is being used to tackle crime in the night-time economy.??

Case Study

On 9 May 2023, our team responded quickly to a report of sexual assault made by a young woman in Brixton.?The woman had consented to sex with Mukendi on the condition that a condom was used. During sex, he removed the condom without her knowledge.?

Thanks to our investigation, Mukendi has now been jailed for four years and three months.?The victim has also been granted a restraining order for five years

Detective Constable Jack Earl, who led the investigation, said: "Throughout this investigation Mukendi denied any wrongdoing – but our officers built a compelling case against him to leave no doubt in the jury’s mind.

“We were dedicated to securing justice for the victim and will continue to raise awareness that this crime is a form of rape.

Officers worked with the young woman to obtain screenshots of messages from Mukendi. This evidence contributed to securing Mukendi’s conviction.

To find out more about this case visit Brixton man jailed for non-consensual condom removal in a unique legal case | Metropolitan Police

How to report Stealthing

We know such crimes affect men too, and we encourage anyone impacted by this crime to report it.?

If you are a victim of non-consensual condom removal please report it to the police straight away to get the best chances of capturing evidential opportunities. Call 101 or 999 or contact us online?Report a crime | Metropolitan Police.

If you need support after sexual violence or abuse, you can also contact the RapeCrisis 24/7 helpline?or check out the?Get Help?part of their website to find details of their local Rape Crisis centres.

Find out more

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Local Policing, Helen Millichap leads the Met focus on Violence Against Women and Girls and will be participating in an interview with BBC Radio Four.

She will be talking about stealthing and set out what we’re doing to tackle rape and VAWG cases. Listen now.

You can also more about the Met’s commitment to tackling crimes that affect women and girls across London: VAWG action plan: Our 10 commitments | Metropolitan Police