Written by Lizan van den Dijssel Edited by The Language Lab Photography by Jennifer Doherty
am required to register as a sex offender for 15 years. Upon my release, instead of retreating, I embraced HIV advocacy and social justice work with a passion and clear-eyed conviction: our level of awareness determines our destiny.”
Crime of violence
Although the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed that Undetectable = Untransmittable, and despite attempts at federal level to review criminalisation laws, many states in the US still impose criminal liability on people living with HIV. Robert Suttle (39) works for the Sero Project, which advocates for reform of HIV criminalisation laws.
“Considering all the things I’ve had to overcome so far, it’s become empowering for me to be open”
“IN HINDSIGHT, I realise that I’ve been practising self-advocacy ever since my HIV diagnosis 15 years ago. But it wasn’t until my life was nearly destroyed by a grossly unjust HIV conviction in 2009 that I got involved in the HIV field. At 30 years old, I was convicted under Louisiana’s so-called ‘Intentional Exposure to AIDS Virus’ statute, even though no-one ever suggested I intended to harm anyone and I wasn’t accused of transmitting the virus. I served six months in a Louisiana state prison and
and training academy on HIV criminalisation. In addition, with the aid of its national network of HIV activists, advocates and allies, Sero issues a health and wellness resource guide for people living with HIV and/or hepatitis who have been incarcerated.
Complex In the United States there is increasing agreement that the risk of HIV transmission by someone with an undetectable viral load is effectively zero. But many states still have HIV-specific criminal laws and, despite these laws lacking any scientific basis, they are still used to unjustly prosecute people living with HIV.
Robert’s own experiences have made him a determined advocate for ending criminalisation and supporting the health and well-being of all people. “My unique life experiences, my race, my HIV status and my incarceration are complex and sometimes difficult to separate. The collateral consequences of a conviction have lasting “For decades, HIV has diseffects. I’ve had to share proportionally affected more details than most many black Americans: about my personal life social factors create the when meeting or getting highest risk of acquiring to know someone for the HIV and the highest risk of first time. Relocating can be incarceration”, Robert says. overwhelming if you have “The laws were imposed a criminal record and sex years ago to slow down offender status. Travelling sexual HIV transmission, outside of the US and rebut are increasingly used turning can be a pain. today to incarcerate alI can’t be denied entry ready marginalised and to the country, but I get disenfranchised communi- delayed or detained by ties. The focus of these laws US Customs every time. is more on HIV disclosure, Mostly, I worry about my than on whether the person employment rights and my living with HIV had maliearning potential, so that cious or actual intent to do I can support and take care harm. That way, they treat of myself through retireany risk of HIV exposure ment.” or infection as a crime of violence.” “Considering all the things I’ve had to overcome so far, Sero’s primary work init’s become empowering for cludes raising public aware- me to be open. As Andrew ness as well as outreach to Spieldenner said: ‘If we say mobilise and advocate for we experience barriers – HIV criminal law reform. believe us. Don’t dismiss us The project also produces or pretend we are not tellthe biennial HIV is Not a ing the truth because you Crime national conference don’t experience it’.” hello gorgeous 31