The growing use of the criminal law to respond to the risk of sexually transmitting HIV infection is a prominent global HIV/AIDS policy issue. Advocates, people living with HIV, community workers, lawyers and others have expressed concern that the use of the criminal law to govern HIV non-disclosure/transmission/exposure is unfairly applied, disproportionately impacts marginalized people living with HIV, heightens HIV-related stigma and negatively affects established HIV prevention efforts. This international, by-invitation workshop will connect leading researchers working in the area with, advocates, public heath officials, people living with HIV, lawyers, and health and community providers in an intensive two-day dialogue. We will explore and enhance emerging research on this topic, consider responses to the key methodological, theoretical and knowledge translation challenges to research in this area, and identify opportunities for novel research collaboration.
Among the questions we will explore are:
• What is the relationship between advocacy and research on the public health impact of criminalizing HIV non-disclosure/transmission/exposure? What are the politics of knowledge in this area of research?
• What do we mean by public health impact? What are its dimensions and which among them have been most/less researched? What questions should new research explore?
• What models of research can we use to best understand the relationship between criminalization and HIV prevention and the care, treatment and support of people living with HIV?
• What similarities and differences appear in research on the public health impact of criminalization across national boundaries? What does existing research tells about the public health impact of criminalizing HIV non-disclosure/transmission/exposure?
• How have marginalized social groups been affected by criminalization?
• How can we theorize the relationship between criminal law and public health governance of HIV transmission risk?
• What approaches to disseminating research to policy-makers and other key constituents have proven most effective?