GHT Homepage Inside GHT Announcements HIV: No Shame, No Blame, No Crime

HIV: No Shame, No Blame, No Crime
3rd Sep 2007

HIV - It’s Time to Put a Stop to the Shaming, Blaming, and Criminalisation of People Living With HIV.George House Trust launches Pride campaign - HIV - No Blame, No Shame, No Crime

Every year George House Trust has a campaign at Manchester Pride to catch everyone’s attention.

This year our campaign sends a powerful political message that the stigma, discrimination and prejudice faced by people with HIV must stop. Our message has three points: HIV - No Shame, No Blame, No Crime, and stands as a clear statement about the ethos of George House Trust. More than two decades into the epidemic, people living with HIV are still abused, still treated unfairly, still face situations where people cannot be open about HIV status for fear of persecution. This situation must change.

No Shame
We stand opposed to any notion that living with HIV is the slightest bit shameful. No matter how or why a person becomes HIV positive, having this long term illness which can be distressing and difficult, it can be managed like other long term illnesses. However it is still significantly different from most other long-term illnesses because of the stigma and prejudice about having HIV. People often experience overwhelming feelings of shame - feelings which have been imposed by society and our own communities. Talking about having HIV and telling others is often avoided. This not only prevents people from using services, and from obtaining vital treatment and support. It increases the likelihood of onward transmission. Fear of stigma and rejection after telling sexual partners is high.

No Blame
Blaming someone ignores the underlying social, psychological and other situations and experiences that influence and exacerbate HIV risk. Blaming an individual for passing on HIV ignores the reality that we are each responsible for our own sexual health. Many people with HIV (about 1 in 3) do not know this. Pointing fingers and blaming the most affected communities of gay men, Africans, or injecting drug users is a way of trying to deny everyone’s responsibility and is used to justify stigma and discrimination. Blaming each other is destructive and does nothing to end the global epidemic effectively.

No Crime
George House Trust has campaigned vigorously against the prosecution of people for HIV transmission and we will continue with this. Having HIV is not a crime and HIV positive people are not criminals.

However the Sentencing Guidelines Council recently said that significant custodial sentences are right for HIV transmission. However it is now clear that it is almost impossible to prove scientifically that person A infected person B.

Prosecuting HIV positive people for reckless transmission contradicts public health messages that both people share a responsibility in consensual sexual encounters. It gives HIV negative people a dangerous and false sense of security. Prosecuting people with HIV not only demonises people with HIV but also discourages people from being tested.

George House Trust supports
The right of all people living with HIV to live a life free from stigma, prejudice and discrimination
The right of all people living with HIV to have a safe, active and fulfilling sexual life free from discrimination and prejudice
The right of people to chose whether to disclose their health status to sexual partners
The right for people living with HIV to have access to culturally appropriate resources to assist in understanding and managing the risk of HIV transmission

George House Trust does not support
The use of the criminal law to attempt to reduce HIV transmission. It doesn’t work and it makes things worse