TONIGHT A NEW PUSH TO CHANGE HIV
LAWS IN OHIO.
MARK:
SOME LIVING WITH THE VIRUS FEEL
CURRENT LAWS CRIMINALIZES THEM
FOR HAVING THE VIRUS. NBC4'S ROB
SNEED SHOWS US WHO IS BEHIND THE
PUSH.
ROB SNEED: "I HAD THE CHANCE TO
SPEAK WITH FOLKS LIVING WITH HIV
HERE AT EQUITAS. THEY FEEL
OHIO'S HIV LAWS ARE UNFAIR AND
THEY WANT THEM GONE."
DE'JUAN STEVENS, LIVING WITH HIV
: "THAT ACTUALLY IS A FEAR OF
MINE. I'VE HAD INTERACTION WITH
SOMEONE WHO LUCKILY FOR ME I HAD
PROOF THAT I TOLD THEM MY
STATUS. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE
FOR EVERYBODY."
AND THAT'S WHY DE'JUAN
STEVENS...IS FIGHTING.
RIGHT NOW IN OHIO IT'S AGAINST
THE LAW TO
HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE AND FAIL
TO TELL THEM YOU ARE HIV
POSITIVE. AND YOU CAN BE CHARGED
WITH A FELONY IF YOU CAN'T PROVE
THAT
YOU REVEALED YOUR STATUS. "IT
SEEMS VERY VINDICTIVE . I'M NOT
SURE WHAT PEOPLE GET OUT OF IT."
BUT ACCORDING TO DAPHNE
KACKLOUDIS WITH EQUITAS
HEALTH.....THIS HAPPENS MORE
TIMES THAN YOU KNOW. THIS LAWYER
IS CONSTANTLY WORKING TO IMPROVE
POLICY FOR PATIENTS AND CLIENTS
LIVING WITH HIV.
EVEN IF YOU DID DISCLOSURE
STATUS IF
YOU CAN'T PROVE IT IT'S LIKE IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN.
EVEN IF YOU DID DISCLOSURE
STATUS IF
YOU CAN'T PROVE IT IT'S LIKE IT
DIDN'T HAPPEN. SHE SAYS RIGHT
NOW...PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV
USUALLY HAVE TO DISCUSS THEIR
STATUS WITH THEIR PARTNER.....IN
FRONT OF ANOTHER PERSON.
NO ONE SHOULD DISCUSS THE SEXUAL
HISTORY
SEXUAL PREFERENCE PRACTICES IN
FRONT OF A THIRD-PARTY.
WE ARE WORKING AS A MEMBER OF
THE OHIO
HEALTH MODERNIZATION MOVEMENT
ITS A
COALITION OF HIV ADVOCATES AND
PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS TO
WORK TO MODERNIZE OHIO'S
EXISTING
FELONIOUS ASSAULT STATUTES. :23
WE WANT
TO CHANGE THE LAW. WE WANT THE
LAW TO BE
MORE REFLECTIVE OF ADVANCES IN
SCIENCE AND GOOD PRACTICES :33
SHE SAYS IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME
TO GET THIS TO CHANGE...BUT SHE
WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH
LAWMAKERS SO THAT THIS
CONVERSATION WILL BE A THING OF
THE PAST....FOR PEOPLE LIVING
WITH HIV.
DE'JUAN STEVENS, LIVING WITH HIV
: "YOU SHOULDN'T FEEL DEFEATED .
IT'S AN UP HILL BATTLE . THERE
ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE
STARE OR OHIO AND OTHER STATES
STATES WORKING TO GET THESE LAWS
OVER TURNED."
ROB SNEED: " FOLKS AT EQUITAS
WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT IN HOPES
OF GETTING THESE LAW ELIMINATED.
LOCAL FOR YOU ROB SNEED NBC4."
DARLENE:
ROB SNEED NBC4."
DARLENE:
KNOW YOUR STATUS!
OUR PARTNERS AT THE NATIONAL
AFRICAN
AMERICAN MALE WELLNESS
INITIATIVE COMMITTEE IS HOSTING
HIV AND STD TESTING-- FOR
NATIONAL BLACK HIV AIDS DAY.
IT'S TOMORROW FROM 6 TO 8 P-M AT
THE LINCOLN
CAFE ON EAST LONG STREET. ITS A
FREE EVENT AND EVERYONE IS
WELCOME
TO COME OUT AND GET TESTED.
DARLENE:
