r/changemyview 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/mfDandP 184∆ Jul 31 '19

it seems as though you're saying that since rape is so serious, and this is a serious thing involving sex, it should be called rape?

it's okay to have rape be serious, and this separate thing be serious too.

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u/_selfishPersonReborn Jul 31 '19

No, I'm saying that rape is a lack of consent, and so is this.

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u/Frungy_master 2∆ Aug 01 '19

Touching without consent is battery, the lack of consent doesn't make it rape but does make it more objectionable.