A Canberra man has been jailed for three months for acting as a sex worker with HIV and hepatitis C.
Hector Scott never transmitted any diseases, but ACT law forbids any HIV positive people from working in the sex industry.
The laws here in Queensland are similar - and to make sure, we've even got mandatory health checks and blood tests for sex workers.
So should laws like this be implemented in every state?
The ACT's Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, reckons the laws should be reviewed and says being an HIV positive sex worker does not pose a danger to the community.
But how can that be true?
Safe sex practices may reduce the risk of transmitting sexual diseases, but we know condoms aren't 100 per cent safe. It says so on the box.
If we resign to the idea that condoms will completely prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and allow HIV positive people to work in the sex industry, we're playing with loaded weapons.
If by a small chance the practice of safe sex fails and a sex worker transmits HIV to a client, that client could go on to spread the virus, falsely believing their practices kept them safe.
The chances of infection may be negligible, but is it really worth the risk?
Why not remove it all together and legislate against HIV positive people working in the sex trade?
by Andrew Halliday
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