Klipsun Magazine

View Original

Removal

A short play by Lauren Brigolin
Photos by Zoe Deal

On April 23, 2017, I was introduced to a study by Alexandra Brodsky for the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law. It described a type of sexual assault I had been previously unaware of called “stealthing,” where one partner non-consensually removes a condom during sex without the other person’s knowledge and/or consent.

This 28-page study explores legal responses to non-consensual condom removal through interviews. In her study, Brodasky says, “survivors make clear that, as a result of the removed condoms, they experienced fear of STIs and pregnancy and also a less concrete but deeply felt feeling of violation.”

United States courts have not heard a case with this form of rape, which leaves people confused about what they can do, what has happened and what to call it. However, in January 2017, a Swedish court convicted a man of rape through stealthing and two California and Wisconsin lawmakers are currently working to formally classify stealthing as rape.

I had to find a way to pose the question that Brodasky says many victims ask, “I’m not sure this is rape, but… ” As a journalist and a playwright, this is how Removal came to be.

The play describes a conversation between a mother, Claudia, and her daughter, Leah. The play has been condensed and is meant to be performed on a stage. As you read on, I encourage you to use your imagination to bring to life to a conversation some individuals are struggling to have right now.

CAST

Leah…………………………………………………………… A young woman

Claudia ………………………………………………………… Leah’s mother

Same as last Saturday but everything has changed.

At Rise: LEAH is on her computer and the phone.

She is trying to solve what happened.

Scrolling. Scrolling. Scrolling.

Listening. Listening.

Finally:

LEAH

Well, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

LEAH hangs up.

The quietness of knowing

without understanding settles.

CLAUDIA exhumes into the room.

Holding something.

Finally:

CLAUDIA

Leah? What is this?

LEAH

I don’t know.

CLAUDIA

Oh. Well, it kind of looks like a pregnancy stick.

The Mother stares at the mother-to-be.

CLAUDIA

Uh-huh. You know what the curious thing is? There’s a little itty-bitty looking plus sign in it. Annnnd, I know it’s not mine, cause’ I had my tubes tied and unless your father is hiding somethin’? You know, I, I thought we had a pretty open dialogue about sexual stuff, ya know?

LEAH

I know.

CLAUDIA

Should we talk about this?

LEAH

I…

CLAUDIA

Actually, that’s not a question. Let’s talk about this.

LEAH

I took the Plan B pill.

CLAUDIA

Okay. When did you do this?

LEAH

I think the same day?

CLAUDIA

Honey, what happened?

LEAH

I’m figuring that out.

CLAUDIA

Was it with someone you know?

LEAH

Yeah.

CLAUDIA

I’m not pretending to be oblivious, I know you’re sexually active, that’s fine, we talked about that. I mean, asking advice on blow jobs is one thing, but, ya know… Was it Ethan?

LEAH

CLAUDIA

Honey, I’m not mad, I’m just confused.

LEAH

I am too.

CLAUDIA

How can I help you?

LEAH

I…

CLAUDIA

It’s okay, that you’re pregnant —

LEAH

I’m not pregnant.

CLAUDIA

Ha, ha. This little thing, tells another story —

LEAH

My period started.

A breath. A moment.

An anomaly in normalcy ceases.

CLAUDIA

Oh. Why, didn’t you start by saying that?

LEAH

Because something else happened.

CLAUDIA

Like what, do you have an STD?

LEAH

They’re called STIs, now.

CLAUDIA

Did Ethan give you HIV?

LEAH

No, no, not —

CLAUDIA

I’m gunna need you to pick up the pace, hun, are you okay?

LEAH

Yes. And, then no, I’m not sure, Mom! I’m trying to figure it out.

CLAUDIA

Okay?

The quietness of not knowing

And needing to understand settles.

Finally:

CLAUDIA

Do you want to talk about it?

LEAH

I think so.

CLAUDIA

It doesn’t have to be with me, we can go to a doctor, or your dad if you want to talk to him.

LEAH

It’s all jumbled; I don’t know where to start…

CLAUDIA

Were you drunk?

LEAH

No, mom.

CLAUDIA

No need to get snippy, I’m just trying to understand.

Drugs?

LEAH

No. We were both completely ourselves. Sober.

CLAUDIA

Okay.

LEAH

We… We, well, you know he was the one I’d been, like, sexually active with, sorta?

CLAUDIA

Yeah, blowjobs, handjobs, whatever, but not like sex-sex, right?

LEAH

Yeah.

CLAUDIA

Normal boyfriend-girlfriend stuff.

LEAH

Yeah.

CLAUDIA

Okay.

LEAH

We, we decided. Let’s have sex. We talked about it on and off, but never did it for a while, cause, I don’t know, and then we looked at each other and said, “let’s do it,”

CLAUDIA

So you both agreed to have sex, alright.

LEAH

Kind of?

CLAUDIA

What do you mean, “kind of”? It sounds like a sober and enthusiastic “yes” to me? What happened?

LEAH

It was. We set boundaries. We agreed we’d use a condom, which he had, if one of us said stop, we’d stop. But neither of us said stop.

Neither of us said stop.

But, he, I don’t know how he did it, but like…

He removed the condom?

Deafening silence. An anomaly.

Knowing without understanding suffocates the two.

LEAH

Mom…? I think I was raped.

CLAUDIA

LEAH

I, I called the help hotline, but I asked about periods and the plan b pill instead… I didn’t…

CLAUDIA

Sexually assaulted.

LEAH

Raped.

CLAUDIA

But — I’m not saying what you’re feeling is wrong, but… I mean, you agreed to have sex?

LEAH

I know, that’s… I’m confused. But we — I — agreed to have sex with a condom because…

CLAUDIA

STIs, pregnancy…

LEAH

I feel awful inside. I said yes, to sex, but with an agreement that was broken?

CLAUDIA

LEAH

And, I was reading online… It’s, it’s this thing called, “Stealthing,” –

CLAUDIA

What is?

LEAH

What he did to me. Removing the condom, it’s called stealthing and I think I was — (raped)

CLAUDIA

Please stop saying that word. It —

LEAH

But that’s what —

CLAUDIA

I know, yes, I hear you; it just makes me uncomfortable to hear that word.

LEAH

I found forums online where men were talking about their stealthing and were sharing tips on how to do without the other person noticing.

CLAUDIA

Okay.

LEAH

And, stuff like, “It’s a man’s right to spread his seed,” —

CLAUDIA

That’s the stupidest shit, I’ve ever heard.

LEAH

I know… I’m sorry.

CLAUDIA

You did nothing wrong. Not a single. Damn. Thing.

LEAH

I didn’t say anything to him after… I didn’t know what happened or what to say.

I just left feeling sick. Mom?

Softer than the sound of moonlight touching the ground: LEAH’s question.

LEAH

Was I raped?

Ten unheard heartbeats pass.

Finally:

CLAUDIA

… I don’t know.

The unanswered End.

An abridged version of this script appears in the print edition of EVOLVE.

Editor’s note: This is a work of theater that addresses a very real issue. If you have questions, concerns, or you or someone you know is a victim of sexual violence, help can be found through Western’s Consultation and Sexual Assault Support at 360.650.3700 and Whatcom County’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services at 360.671.5714.