Senators Julia Kirt and Carri Hicks of Oklahoma hosted a public forum on Wednesday to address the state’s persistent HIV problem. The forum’s main goal was to reassess the way that HIV is currently managed, with the idea that better health outcomes could result from increased prevention and education. The Oklahoma Senate claims that this is an alternative to the state’s present criminalization policy.
Public health advocates and experts in HIV criminal law talked about Oklahoma’s laws, pointing out that they are out-of-date and stigmatizing. Hicks said, “Many Oklahomans may not realize that there are now medications that make the virus completely undetectable, and at that point there is no chance of transmission, yet we have outdated laws on the books that continue to stigmatize HIV and those living with it.” According to the Oklahoma Senate, she expressed optimism that updating the laws could improve health outcomes by concentrating on lowering transmission.
Punitive methods have failed to change public behavior, according to Sara Raines of the Oklahoma City-County Health Department. “We are aware that attempting to use others as public figures doesn’t actually change their behavior. Raines stated during the forum, “That isn’t a very effective preventative tool.” She cited Oklahoma’s continued HIV epidemic as justification for reevaluating existing tactics. According to the Oklahoma Senate, public health professionals previously used education and counseling to modify behavior before concentrating on making HIV a crime.
“The current law in Oklahoma states that a person living with HIV can go to prison for five years for not disclosing their status before consensual sex, even when they did not intend to harm anyone…and no harm resulted,” stated Vivian Topping of the Equality Federation. HIV criminalization laws have been amended or eliminated in 16 states as of 2024. According to the Oklahoma Senate, “HIV transmission is a growing problem throughout our state, in urban and rural communities alike,” and Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt urged that funding be redirected toward prevention and education instead of punishment.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Leave a Reply