United Church of Christ - HIV is Not a Crime

HIV is Not a Crime

Criminal law has been unjustly used in the United States to target people with HIV. These laws, originally written to protect the public from a perceived threat that a person infected with HIV could use their disease as a weapon against others, are based on long-outdated beliefs about the roots and risks of HIV transmission. They were drafted at a time when HIV was understood to be a “death sentence,” when it is in fact a chronic, manageable disease.

HIV Criminalization laws by State As a result of this widespread ignorance about HIV, the blood, semen, and saliva of people living with HIV have been referred to as “deadly weapons,” and HIV positive individuals have been charged with crimes ranging from aggravated assault to attempted murder, and even bioterrorism.

Call on Congress to pass the REPEAL Act!

The Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal (REPEAL) HIV Discrimination Act (H.R. 1843/ S.1790) addresses the serious problem of discrimination in the use of criminal and civil commitment laws against those who test positive for HIV. This bill also creates incentives and support for states to reform existing policies that use the criminal law to target people living with HIV for felony charges and severe punishments for behavior that is otherwise legal or that poses no measurable risk of HIV transmission.

Public health leaders and global policy makers agree that HIV criminalization is unjust, bad public health policy and is fueling the epidemic rather than reducing it. Following the release of a new and long-awaited Department of Justice and CDC article on HIV criminalization, people of faith and health advocates in speaking out in support of the REPEAL!

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Dear [Decision Maker],

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As a person of faith and an active member of the United Church of Christ, I support legislation and policies that work to reduce the impact of HIV on vulnerable and marginalized communities and to secure the human rights of people living with or affected by HIV.

The bipartisan Repeal Existing Policies that Encourage and Allow Legal HIV Discrimination Act (S. 1790/H.R. 1843)  the REPEAL Act, is a no-cost legislative solution to the serious problem of discrimination in the use of criminal and civil commitment laws against those who test positive for HIV. It calls for relevant federal agencies to review existing HIV criminalization statues and offer recommendations to bring them in line with the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Following the release of a new and long-awaited DOJ (Department of Justice) and CDC article on HIV criminalization (http://bit.ly/1m8NSq8), I feel that it is important that our country move forward with the repeal of outdated criminal statutes relating to potential HIV exposure.

I respectfully urge you to sign on as a co-sponsor to this important legislation which represents an essential effort to reduce the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV that continues to exist today throughout the United States, including in our community.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]