Follow-up Cafés for HIV and the RACE for A VACCINE


Española January 20th at 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM NNMC, General Education Building RM 104

Come learn how to determine your own blood type using state of the art techniques at this meeting. We will also learn how cells work and how virus' can attack them.



Santa Fe January 24th 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM SFCC, RM 314

Come join us in a structured discussion about how a society should handle HIV positive persons who engage in activities that could spread HIV to others without their knowledge. We will use a kit that provides information and a structure for helping us come to a decision that is acceptable to the group. Some countries or states would send the offender to prison and others would send them to counseling. What should be the law in your state? You decide and then compare your decision to that of people all around the world who have struggled with the same problem.

 

HIV/AIDS and legal responsibility

A number of cases have been reported in which people living with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency VIrus) have been criminally charged for a variety of acts that transmit HIV or risk transmission. In some cases, criminal charges have been laid for conduct that is merely perceived as risking transmission, sometimes with very harsh penalties imposed. Some jurisdictions have moved to enact or amend legislation specifically to address such conduct. The issue has also received public and academic commentary. In Europe alone, hundreds of people have been prosecuted, and several have been convicted.

These developments raise the question of whether criminal laws and prosecutions represent sound policy responses to conduct that carries the risk of HIV transmission, or if public health laws should be applied. Individual cases, and accompanying media coverage, may prompt public calls for such a response.

 

Policy positions

  1. Apply existing criminal law offences (e.g. endangering public health, offence against the person, assault, etc.) to allow the prosecution for all forms of HIV transmission, including reckless and accidental.
  2. Enable a duty by law for HIV positive people to disclose their status before engaging in risk-transmitting activities with other people, even if these activities are consensual.
  3. Applying existing criminal law and public health legislation where appropriate, but do not create HIV-specific legislation for deliberate, reckless or accidental transmission.
  4. Use prevention and counseling rather than the law. This means access to: 1. HIV testing, accompanied by counseling 2. information about avoiding HIV transmission and 3. the economic, social and personal support necessary to avoid conduct that risks HIV transmission.

†Instructions provided via playdecide.org



Los Alamos January 31st at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM UNM-LA, Lecture Hall in Bldg. 2

Living with HIV or AIDS is a life altering experience. We will talk with a New Mexico resident infected with HIV to hear their story of acceptance and survival.


Albuquerque January 30th at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM NM Museum of Natural History & Science, RM 517

Living with HIV or AIDS is a life altering experience. We will talk with a New Mexico resident infected with HIV to hear their story of acceptance and survival.



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