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About Abuse

Abuse Among People Living with HIV/AIDS

Updated: July 30, 2024

What is HIV criminalization?

HIV criminalization is the process through which people living with HIV are criminalized or face penalties due to their HIV-positive status. An abuser might use these criminal laws as a way to intimidate the victim; for example, threatening to falsely make a police report alleging that the victim violated one of these laws.  To determine if laws like this exist within your state, please see The Center for HIV Law & Policy’s website.