US condom crackdown impeding efforts to prevent HIV, study finds

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

US condom crackdown impeding efforts to prevent HIV, study finds

Sarah Boseley, health editor
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 19 July 2012 15.17 BST

Police in major cities in the United States are criminalising women who carry a stock of condoms, making sex workers and their clients less likely to use them and increasing their risk of contracting HIV, says Human Rights Watch.

A new report compiles evidence from sex workers in four major cities – Washington DC, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Interviews with more than 300 people show that those most at risk of HIV, such as sex workers and transgender women, are afraid to carry condoms in case they should be stopped and searched by police.

"Some women told Human Rights Watch that they continued to carry condoms despite the harsh consequences. For others, fear of arrest overwhelmed their need to protect themselves from HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy," says the report.

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Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/19/us-condom-crackdown-hiv-study

[Odin2005]

1. WTF???

The pigs are out of control.

[4th law of robotics]

2. Is that accurate?

If so how can they know if you have condoms on your person without doing an illegal search?

And if they stop you for something else how can they criminalize possession of "too many" of a perfectly legal susbtance? (it's not like we're talking about having something dangerous like 13 oz of soda at one time).

[bigwillq]

3. This is just silly

SMH


If the women (and men) are going to do this kind of work, they should be able to carry as many condoms as they want. It should not be a crime, both carrying condoms and selling one's body.

[4th law of robotics]

5. I would say if anyone

wants to carry a metric ton of condoms around with them regardless of their profession or intent that should be just fine.

[marmar]

4. Stuck on Stupid.

nt

[xchrom]

6. Du rec. Nt