10 April 20–26, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Lavinia Masters, an advocate for survi- vors of sexual assault, spoke in support of Plesa’s bill. In 2019, a bill named after Mas- ters was signed into a law that extended the statute of limitations for sexual-assault cases with untested rape kits. Speaking before the committee, Masters said that if an offender removes a condom dur- ing sex, that person has committed a crime. “You have now violated me: You have vio- lated my space, you have violated my trust. You have violated me as an individual, and that is no longer consent,” she said. “There should be some kind of action that I should be able to take against you if I decide — if I’m not filled with so much fear or uncertainty because my state or people don’t under- stand what consent is.” One study in a prominent health journal found that 46% of participants who had com- mitted stealthing “reported partners with unintended pregnancies,” according to a fact- sheet from Plesa’s office. Texas outlawed abortion after six weeks in 2021, and the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 reversed Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that guaran- teed abortion as a constitutional right. Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, told the Ob- server that stealthing is an act of abuse be- cause it means that one partner didn’t consent. “And anytime you don’t have consent, we would consider that an act of power or con- trol over another person, which falls into the category of domestic violence or rela- tionship abuse,” she said. In addition to the physical consequences, such as contracting a sexually transmitted disease, stealthing can also harm a victim’s mental health. Ray-Jones said survivors may suffer from issues like depression and anxiety as a result. Reproductive coercion is an area of do- mestic violence that many survivors don’t talk about, Ray-Jones said. It’s a way for a perpetrator to exert power and control over another person. They might intentionally impregnate their partner by secretly remov- ing a condom or tampering with their birth control, for instance. Stealthing is a serious problem, but it can be difficult to prove in court, she said. Out- side of coming up with physical proof that a condom was removed during the act with- out consent, it may boil down to a “they said, they said” situation, Ray-Jones added. Regardless, she emphasized that Plesa’s bill will help to increase awareness of stealthing, which may help some victims re- alize that their partner is using coercion or manipulation in their relationship. “It’s re- ally tricky just because survivors often don’t know what’s happening,” she said, “so awareness is really key.” To speak with the Hotline confidentially, call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. ▼ DRUGS TURNING OVER A NEW LEAF TEXAS CONSIDERS LAWS TO REGULATE KRATOM, DRIVE AWAY ‘CHARLATANS. ’ BY JACOB VAUGHN T exas lawmakers are looking to regu- late kratom this legislative session. Bills filed in both the House and Sen- ate, if enacted, would impose age restric- tions for kratom purchases, and require proper labeling, instructions and recom- mended doses for products. Kratom is a South Asian plant that can produce opioid- and stimulant-like effects. Users say the product can provide energy, soothe anxiety and depression, and help with drug addiction. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, a Laredo Democrat; Rep. Angelia Orr, a Freestone County Re- publican; and Rep. J.M. Lozano, a Kingsville Republican, filed identical bills in the House and Senate to get all of this done. On top of these regulations, Senate Bill 497 and House Bill 861 would also set fines for selling adul- terated or unlabeled kratom, and for selling the product to people younger than 18. The first violation would result in a $250 fine. The second penalty would be $500, and subsequent fines would be $1,000. Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash Victims advocates say that “stealthing” is a form of sexual assault. Unfair Park from p8 >> p12 INTERESTED CANDIDATES PLEASE SEND YOUR COVER LETTER AND RESUME TO CHARLIE.DONDLINGER@ DALLASOBSERVER.COM DIGITAL MARKETING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE D
