California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bipartisan measure last Thursday making it illegal to remove condoms without consent, a practice known as “stealthing.”
The conduct is now included in the state’s civil definition of sexual battery, making California the first state in the United States to make stealthing unlawful.
The legislation provides victims of assaults like Doogan’s, who now resides in San Francisco, with a clear legal recourse.
Advocates believe it’s a watershed moment for other survivors who, unlike Doogan, may now have a chance to testify in court.
“We wanted to make sure it’s not just unethical, but also unlawful,” said Cristina Garcia, a California “We wanted to make sure that it’s not only immoral but illegal,” said California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia who introduced the bill.
