Canada Charged A Man For Not Stating His HIV-Status (Twice)

27-year-old, Toronto resident Ala Al Safi has been arrested and is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault.

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Safi is charged with two counts because he had sex with two men without sharing the fact that he was HIV-positive. And both men later contracted the disease.

Some may feel that the charges are warranted, and some may feel that the justice system is going to extremes.

That said, in Canada these actions are not only legal but the preference of the justice system.

Canadian law says that if you are HIV-postive and are engaging in sex, you have to share your status with the other person. Otherwise, the possible transmission of the disease is liable for jail time.

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And this law is going strong with more than 170 people who have been charged because of the fact that they didn’t share their status.

As you might think, these laws are being questioned by activists, and some question the implications these laws can have on the stigma towards people living with HIV.

But, for now there is no change and Ala Al Safi is on his way to the courthouse.

4 thoughts on “Canada Charged A Man For Not Stating His HIV-Status (Twice)”

  1. If someone is knowingly going

    If someone is knowingly going around and infecting other people with an incurable disease, then they should be held accountable for their actions.

    On the other hand, if someone is going around and having unprotected sex with strangers and gets infected, then it's their fault for not taking preventative measures to minimize the risks. Do you honestly believe that some random stranger has your best interests at heart? To most guys, you're just another notch on their bed post. Why should they care, if you don't?

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  2. These are the stupidest laws

    These are the stupidest laws – when you're a poz guy, all it takes is for a trick to get pissed off at you for them to lie and say that you didn't tell them. This happened to me, luckily it didn't go far. How about this – if you're having risky sex with random people, you're responsible for making intelligent decisions.

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  4. Stigma on the one hand versus

    Stigma on the one hand versus someone else getting infected with a lifetime incurable disease on the other hand. Gee, which is worse?

    Reply

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