Abstract
BackgroundPrevious research has identified the impacts of legal frameworks that criminalize HIV non-disclosure among people living with HIV (e.g., elevated stigma and violence). However, far less is known about the perspectives or experiences of people–particularly, men–who are HIV-seronegative or who are unaware of their status. The objective of this paper is to describe the health and social risks that young men perceive to be associated with an HIV diagnosis in the context of Canada’s current legal framework pertaining to HIV non-disclosure.MethodsWe analyzed data from 100 in-depth interviews (2013–2016) conducted with 85 young men ages 18–30 in Vancouver on the topic of the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure.ResultsOur analysis revealed two dominant narratives in relation to HIV criminalization: (a) interrogation and (b) justification. An interrogation narrative problematized the moral permissibility of criminalizing HIV non-disclosure. In this narrative, Canada’s HIV non-disclosure legal framework was characterized as creating unjust barriers to HIV testing uptake, as well as impeding access to and reducing retention in care for those living with HIV. Conversely, a justification narrative featured a surprising number of references to HIV as a “death sentence”, despite effective treatments being universally available in Canada. However, most of those who presented the justification narrative asserted that the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure was morally justified in light of the perceived negative stigma-related impacts of HIV (e.g., discrimination; being ostracized from sex or romantic partners, friends, family). The justification narrative often reflected a belief that the legal framework provides both punishment and deterrence, which were perceived to supersede any barriers to care for both HIV-positive and -negative individuals.ConclusionPublic education regarding contemporary medical advances in HIV may help contest lay understandings of HIV as a “death sentence”, which is particularly relevant to destabilizing justification narratives. However, significant strengthening of HIV stigma-reduction efforts will be needed to move society away from narratives that attempt to justify Canada’s current HIV non-disclosure legal framework.
Highlights
In Canada, the act of not disclosing one’s HIV seropositive status before engaging in sexual activities that pose a “realistic possibility of HIV transmission” can result in criminal charges, including aggravated sexual assault or attempted murder [1]
Canada’s HIV non-disclosure legal framework was characterized as creating unjust barriers to HIV testing uptake, as well as impeding access to and reducing retention in care for those living with HIV
A justification narrative featured a surprising number of references to HIV as a “death sentence”, despite effective treatments being universally available in Canada
Summary
In Canada, the act of not disclosing one’s HIV seropositive status before engaging in sexual activities that pose a “realistic possibility of HIV transmission” can result in criminal charges, including aggravated sexual assault or attempted murder [1]. Few studies have examined how the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure influences public perceptions of HIV and HIVrelated risks, among those who are HIV-seronegative or who are unaware of their serostatus [2,3,4]. This knowledge gap is especially relevant for today’s generation of young men, who experience disproportionately high rates of HIV incidence (e.g., compared to previous generations of young men, older men). The objective of this paper is to describe the health and social risks that young men perceive to be associated with an HIV diagnosis in the context of Canada’s current legal framework pertaining to HIV nondisclosure
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