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Positively Safe:
THE INTERSECTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE & HIV/AIDS
 Legal Consequences. Know your federal and state laws regarding HIV notification, disclosure, and criminalization;10 as well as mandatory reporting11 and advocate privilege laws.12 Survivors have the right to refuse to disclose information. If a survivor discloses their HIV status, it should not be documented for the potential of being court ordered or used against a survivor in divorce and custody hearings to discredit them. Additionally, the criminalization of persons living with HIV disproportionately impacts women. . Before documenting any information, consider the consequences it may have for the survivor.
 Threat of Abuse. It is equally important to understand the potential implications of disclosing one’s HIV status to an intimate partner. Twenty-four percent of female patients experienced physical abuse after disclosing their HIV status and 45 percent feared such a reaction.13
CHALLENGE HOW THE MEDIA DEPICTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HIV.
Check out our Pinterest Board for movies that talk about domestic violence and HIV. Discuss some of the themes and misconceptions with your family, friends, and colleagues.14
RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE RED FLAGS FOR ABUSE, AND LEARN HOW YOU CAN ASK IF SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
Sample questions to determine if someone is experiencing domestic violence:
 Do you feel controlled and/or isolated by your partner?
 Has your partner ever threatened you or your children? Your pets?
 Has your partner ever humiliated or ridiculed you? In what ways?
 Has your partner ever destroyed your property? In what context?
 Does your partner limit your access to money?
 Has your partner ever denied you access to medical care or prevented you from taking any
medications?
 Has your partner ever forced you into sexual situations against your will?
BELIEVE AND SUPPORT VICTIMS.
There is already a high stigma around reporting domestic violence and disclosing one’s HIV status. Make yourself aware of the HIV and domestic violence programs in your community. Being able to explain what they can do and the support they offer may make survivors feel more comfortable accepting a referral.
Create by: The National Network to End Domestic Violence Positively Safe Project: The Intersection of Domestic Violence & HIV/AIDS © December 2016
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