News
Criminal act or not?
A story out from our ‘neighbors’ to the North (Canada) has folks buzzing. A judge there has ruled that HIV/AIDS is no longer a ‘deadly disease’ in a case where a HIV+ male knowingly infected others. For those who didn’t know, it is a criminal act to knowingly pass HIV in most areas due to it being a deadly disease if not treated. This Canadian ruling could open legal doors & be contested beyond the border soon. The judge stated that with medications now days, HIV/AIDS can be a manageable disease.
How would you feel if someone you meet & slept with didn’t inform you about their status? And you were infected thus changing your life completely? Would you feel the person should be held accountable for their actions or lack of warning to you, or was it your fault for not being careful? These questions came to mind as I think ‘what if it was me’? Would you notify the authorities & risk having your name in the public court records & friends disappearing because they ‘think’ you have ‘IT’?
Working here at our AIDS Service Organization in Winchester, VA we have seen this happen way too often. I can only imagine what takes place in a larger city.
In my humble opinion, I personally think it should stay on record as a criminal offense just for the fact alone that people out there often lack consciences or worry about the consequences of their actions towards others. They need to held accountable for what they do on the road, street, workplace and bedroom.
Tom Thayer
Sources from:
http://www.poz.com/articles/Canadian_Ruling_Nonlethal_1_20843.shtml
Tagged AIDS Response Effort Inc, ARE, Canada, court ruling, deadly disease, HIV, HIV infections, HIV+ male, HIV/AIDS, passing HIV
