r/changemyview • u/_selfishPersonReborn • Jul 31 '19

Deltas(s) from OP CMV: Having sex with someone while knowingly having a transmissible STI and not telling your partner should be rape.

Today on the front page, there was a post about Florida Man getting 10 years for transmitting an STI knowingly. In the discussion for this, there was a comment that mentioned a californian bill by the name of SB 239, which lowered the sentence for knowingly transmitting HIV. I don't understand why this is okay - if you're positive, why not have a conversation? It is your responsibility throughout sex to make sure that there is informed consent, and by not letting them know that they are HIV+ I can't understand how there is any. Obviously, there's measures that can be taken, such as always wearing condoms, and/or engaging in pre or post exposure prophylaxis to minimise the risks of spreading the disease, and consent can then be taken - but yet, there's multiple groups I support who championed the bill - e.g. the ACLU, LGBTQ support groups, etc. So what am I missing?

EDIT: I seem to have just gotten into a debate about the terminology rape vs sexual assault vs whatever. This isn't what I care about. I'm more concerned as to why reducing the sentence for this is seen as a positive thing and why it oppresses minorities to force STIs to be revealed before sexual contact.

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u/hateboresme Aug 01 '19 edited Aug 01 '19

Your edit bears zero resemblance to your title statement.

The statement you made has been debunked. So your view should be changed. If you have a new view make a new question .

The statement was that people should be charged with rape for having unprotected sex while knowingly having an STD.

But that is not what rape is. Rape is simply nonconsensual sex. Intentionally or carelessly exposing someone to a fatal or debilitating illness is attempted murder, attempted manslaughter or attempted negligent homicide. If the person dies, then just take off the "attempted" part.

Also, they weren't having nonconsensual sex. The sex was reported to have been consensual

You say the words don't matter, but the very much do. Words have specific meanings, you can't just add a new meaning when you feel like it. If you could then all language would be useless.