Police and HIV/AIDS: The risk, the reality, the response

Risk and fear have been examined empirically and theoretically in the policing literature. To date, however, there has been minimal effort to examine these concepts in the context of HIV/AIDS. Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic was first detected nearly 20 years ago, relatively little attention has been given to the complex issues it presents for police officers. The following discussion draws from both the policing and epidemiological literatures to examine police officers’ fear and risk of occupational HIV transmission and individual and departmental responses to this fear. Important elements of educational programs and policies are also addressed.     

The Philippines: HIV/AIDS, condoms, and human rights

Influential leaders are increasingly attacking condoms through HIV-prevention programs that focus on sexual abstinence and marital fidelity. In May 2004 Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that examines the impact of these policies in the Philippines, the largest Roman Catholic country in Asia and a major recipient of US HIV/AIDS funding.     

Gender, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS: the what, the why, and the how

The focus of Geeta Rao Gupta's plenary presentation of 12 July 2000 at the XIII International AIDS Conference is on the what, why, and how of gender, sexuality, and HIV/AIDS. Dr Rao Gupta discusses the factors associated with women's vulnerability to HIV; and the ways in which unequal power balance in gender relations increases not only women's, but also men's, vulnerability to HIV-despite, or rather because of, their greater power. She then addresses the question of how one is to overcome the seemingly insurmountable barriers of gender and sexual inequality. How can we change the cultural norms that create damaging, even fatal, gender disparities and roles? According to Dr Rao Gupta, an important first step is to recognize, understand, and publicly discuss the ways in which the power imbalance in gender and sexuality fuels the epidemic. She provides examples of sensitive, transformative, and empowering approaches to gender and sexuality and concludes that, in the final analysis, reducing the imbalance in power between women and men requires policies that are designed to empower women--policies that aim to decrease the gender gap in education, improve women's access to economic resources, increase women's political participation, and protect women from violence.     

Criminal law and HIV/AIDS: strategic considerations

Richard Elliott's paper on criminal law and HIV/AIDS, an edited and updated version of his presentation at "Putting Third First," sets out five guiding principles for criminal law policy and HIV/AIDS; briefly outlines the rationales for criminalization; discusses three strategic legal questions regarding the criminalization of HIV transmission/exposure; and offers a number of recommendations for consideration of those needing to articulate a well-considered perspective on the ethical, legal, human rights, and public health dimensions of the criminalization of HIV transmission/exposure.     

Criminal law and HIV/AIDS: update IV

This regular column reviews new developments in the area of criminal prosecutions for HIV transmission or exposure, or developments that have come to our attention since the last issue. Canadian developments are the focus. Cases and legislation from other jurisdictions are only included if they represent a significant development in this area of the law or for the jurisdiction in question.     

Criminal law and HIV/AIDS: update V

This regular column reviews new developments in the area of criminal prosecutions for HIV transmission or exposure, or developments that have come to our attention since the last issue. Canadian developments are the focus. Cases and legislation from other jurisdictions are only included if they represent a significant development in this area of the law or for the jurisdiction in question.     

Namibia: policy adopted on HIV/AIDS and the education sector

The Namibian National Policy on HIV/AIDS for the Education Sector, adopted in 2003, provides a framework for prevention, care, and support for both learners and employees in the education sector and for the mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS on learners and employees, as well as on the education sector itself.     

Intimate partner violence and HIV/STD risk among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals

To date, there has been little research examining HIV/STD risk among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals who are in abusive relationships. This article uses data collected from a community-based organization that provides counseling for LGBT victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). A total of 58 clients completed the survey, which inquired as to sexual violence and difficulties negotiating safer sex with their abusive partners. A large percentage of participants reported being forced by their partners to have sex (41%). Many stated that they felt unsafe to ask their abusive partners to use safer sex protection or that they feared their partners' response to safer sex (28%). In addition, many participants experienced sexual (19%), physical (21%), and/or verbal abuse (32%) as a direct consequence of asking their partner to use safer sex protection. Training counselors on issues of sexuality and safer sex will benefit victims of IPV.     

Putting third first: critical legal issues and HIV/AIDS

On 7 July 2000, before the XIII International AIDS Conference, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and the AIDS Law Project, South Africa held a one-day satellite meeting on legal, ethical, and human rights issues in Durban, South Africa. Entitled Putting Third First--Critical Legal Issues and HIV/AIDS, the satellite focused on legal strategies to advance the human rights of those most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and to discrimination: people in the developing world, and people who, although they live in the industrialized world, suffer from poverty and marginalization and are at high risk of contracting HIV. The satellite grew out of the ongoing partnership between the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and the AIDS Law Project, South Africa, and was co-hosted by UNAIDS.