Bareback means sex without a condom. In an escort advert, a listing that offers it is offering a health risk, and most escorts do not. Removing a condom without the other person’s consent is treated as rape in England and Wales. This guide explains the term, the risks, the law, and where to get tested.
What it means
“Bareback” is the word for penetrative sex without a condom, whether vaginal or anal. “Raw” means the same. Sex without a condom is not an offence between consenting adults, but it carries real risks, and an advert that lists it is describing a service that most escorts refuse.
The risks
- HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and C, herpes and HPV can all pass during sex without a condom.
- Pregnancy is possible, and emergency contraception is available from pharmacies, GPs and sexual health clinics.
- Some infections cause no symptoms, so a partner who looks and feels well can still pass one on.
The law on removing a condom
If someone agrees to sex on the condition that a condom is used, and the condom is removed or damaged without their consent, they have not consented to what then happens. The Crown Prosecution Service treats this as an example of conditional consent, and it can be prosecuted as rape. It is sometimes called stealthing. If it happens to you, you can report it to the police, and Rape Crisis offers support.
After a risk
- PEP, which can stop an HIV infection, must be started within 72 hours, and sooner is better. It is free from sexual health clinics and from A&E.
- Get tested. STI testing in London explains where to go.
- PrEP prevents HIV and is free from NHS sexual health clinics in England if you are eligible.
Escorts and condoms
A listing is an offer, and an escort can decline anything on the day, including sex without a condom. A client who pushes for it, or who offers more money for it, is putting both of you at risk. OWO and CIM carry their own risks, and how booking works covers what to agree first.