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How to Report People Who Intentionally Spread AIDS

The ethics of sanctioning people who intentionally spread AIDS is extremely controversial among people with AIDS, helping professionals and public policy makers. In 2002 the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS joined others in opposing the use of the criminal justice system to punish conduct that may transmit HIV/AIDS. However, many states have laws that criminalize such conduct and place jurisdiction in the hands of police and criminal prosecutors.

Things You'll Need

  • An attorney
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Instructions

  1. Prepare and Protect Yourself Before You Report Others

    • 1

      Consult with an attorney about the potential consequences, for others and for yourself, if you report people who you believe may intentionally spread AIDS.

    • 2

      Find out whether your state has or is considering a law criminalizing the intentional transmission of the AIDS virus.

    • 3

      Educate yourself about the criminal penalties associated with such a law. Also investigate any civil judgments that may have come through in your state in cases that turned on the intentional transmission of the AIDS virus.

    • 4

      Decide whether it is safe and/or appropriate for you or someone you know to communicate directly but informally with an individual whom you know to be engaging in behavior that may spread AIDS.

    • 5

      Encourage people who may be engaging in risky behavior to get tested regularly and frequently for the AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases and to educate themselves about how to prevent the spread of AIDS. Unless someone knows that he or she has AIDS, it is unlikely they can be held responsible for intentionally spreading it.

    Report People Who Intentionally and Maliciously Spread Aids

    • 6

      Engage an attorney to report people who intentionally and maliciously spread AIDS. An attorney hired to represent your personal interests will help to protect you against retaliation, counter-charges of reckless conduct, harassment and negative publicity or other forms of invasion of your privacy.

    • 7

      Support the claim you are reporting of the intentional transmission of the AIDS virus by making sure that the victimized individuals, whether it is you or others, receives a physical examination as soon as possible after the incident of transmission.

    • 8

      Report people who intentionally and maliciously spread AIDS to the police department or district attorney's office in the municipal or county jurisdiction where such incidents have occurred. If you believe that your report is not being handled properly, you may also choose to make a report to your state attorney general's office or state police.

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