Criminal Code reform of HIV non disclosure is urgently needed : Social science perspectives on the harms of HIV criminalization in Canada

Hastings, Colin and French, Martin and McClelland, Alexander and Mykhalovskiy, Eric and Adam, Barry and Bisaillon, Laura and Bogosavljevic, Katarina and Gagnon, Marilou and Greene, Saara and Guta, Adrian and Hindmarch, Suzanne and Kaida, Angela and Kilty, Jennifer and Massaquoi, Notisha and Namaste, Viviane and O’Byrne, Patrick and Orsini, Michael and Patterson, Sophie and Sanders, Chris and Symington, Alison and Wilson, Ciann (2024) Criminal Code reform of HIV non disclosure is urgently needed : Social science perspectives on the harms of HIV criminalization in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 115 (1). pp. 8-14. ISSN 0008-4263

Text (AAM- Criminal Code reform of HIV non)
AAM-_Criminal_Code_reform_of_HIV_non.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (162kB)

Abstract

The criminalization of HIV non-disclosure represents a significant issue of concern among people living with HIV, those working across the HIV sector, public health practitioners, and health and human rights advocates around the world. Recently, the government of Canada began a review of the criminal law regarding HIV non-disclosure and invited feedback from the public about potential reforms to the Criminal Code. In light of this public consultation, this commentary examines social science research from Canadian scholars that documents the intersecting damaging effects of HIV criminalization. Canadian social scientists and other researchers have shown that HIV criminalization is applied in uneven and discriminatory ways, impedes HIV prevention efforts, perpetuates HIV stigma, and has a damaging impact on the daily lives of people living with HIV. We argue that there is an urgent need for reforms that will significantly restrict how the criminal law is applied to HIV non-disclosure.