World AIDS Day 2017

The Social Justice Centre at KPU fully supports the Canadian Coalition to Reform HIV Criminalization’s (CCRHC) Community Consensus Statement

On World AIDS Day 2016, federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould acknowledged that the “over-criminalization of HIV non-disclosure” contributes to stigma and undermines public health, and that the criminal justice system has not caught up to the existing science. Yet people living with HIV in Canada are singled out for criminal prosecutions, convictions, and imprisonment for allegedly not disclosing their HIV status to sexual partners—even when there is little or no possibility of transmission.

Today, on World AIDS Day 2017 we encourage you to learn more about the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure in Canada and to take action.

The Canadian Coalition to Reform HIV Criminalization’s (CCRHC) Community Consensus Statement

The Statement has been signed by over 150 HIV and human rights organizations across Canada.

You can find a full copy of the Community Consensus Statement and FAQs here: http://www.hivcriminalization.ca/community-consensus-statement/

What does the Community Consensus Statement call for?

The statement declares that, in accordance with international guidance, criminal prosecutions should be limited to cases of actual, intentional transmission of HIV. To this end, the endorsers of the statement across the country call for the following:

  • federal and provincial Attorneys-General should develop sound prosecutorial guidelines to preclude unjust HIV prosecutions;
  • the federal government should reform the Criminal Code to limit the unjust use of the criminal law against people living with HIV, including removing HIV non-disclosure from the reach of sexual assault laws; and
  • federal, provincial and territorial governments should support resources and training to address misinformation, fear and stigma related to HIV, for all actors in the criminal justice system, including police, Crown prosecutors and judges.

Take action!

Send an email to federal Justice Minister and the provincial and territorial Attorneys General using this link http://www.hivcriminalization.ca/take-action/

Send a tweet with a link to the Community Consensus Statement to provincial and territorial justice ministers. Each minister’s Twitter handle is listed below.

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An important conversation with Mike Ma, Criminology Professor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Mike Larsen, member of the Department of Criminology at KPU, regarding the recent report by federal and provincial privacy commissioners outlining h
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