Streams of Living Affected

White House Video Series for AIDS 2012

By AIDS.gov

This week, while the 2012 International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012 ) is being held in Washington, D.C., the White House released a series of related videos. First was a three-minute video history of HIV and the United States’ response that includes President Obama’s welcome to the more than 23,000 conference attendees. AIDS 2012 has also provided an opportunity for Administration officials to reflect on the effect that HIV/AIDS has had in their own lives, and how far we’ve come in the fight against the disease. Among those sharing their thoughts are:

• Grant Colfax, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy
• Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President
• Brad Kiley, Director of the Office of Management and Administration
• Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
• Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Development and Democracy for the National Security Staff
• Tina Tchen, Chief of Staff to the First Lady

Click on the names above to view their videos and watch the Office of National AIDS Policy Blog for more videos this week.

Woman Alleges Boyfriend Tried to Give Her HIV On Purpose

A woman has her ex-boyfriend arrested, she says, because he tried to give her HIV on purpose.

Arkansas is one of the first states to make it a crime to knowingly attempt to transmit HIV.

It will be up to a jury to decide if a man should spend up to 30 years in jail for his alleged actions.

"He spent time with me and my kids, it was all going great," said Rebecca Williams.

Earlier this year, Rebecca Williams began what she thought was a great relationship with a fellow tenant at this Little Rock apartment complex. Things were going so well, the two even got engaged.

Williams never thought her partner had HIV because she says he never told her.

"He kept telling me he was totally clean and so I went and got my yearly done and then he confessed it all." said Williams.

After months of an intimate relationship Williams learned Eric Hopkins had been lying to her. Now, she's had him arrested and charged for knowingly trying to infect her with HIV.

In fact, Williams says he finally admitted to her he wanted an HIV-positive wife, so he wouldn't die alone.

"He would preach the word of God, telling me he blessed me with HIV, that it wasn't a curse, it was a blessing," Williams said.

Williams immediately filed a police report. Now, she is waiting to take the case to trial in September.

"It is a very serious crime," said Prosecutor Larry Jegley.  Jegley says he can't comment on this particular case but says cases like this are very rare.

Since 2007, only 27 people in the state have been arrested for the crime and 10 convicted.

Jegley says they simply have to prove the person who knew there infected, tried to transmit the disease without informing their partner.

Jegley says it doesn't even matter if the partner actually contracted HIV.

"It's like an assault, shooting at someone and you didn't hit and kill them, well you could have, same thing," Jegley said.

Williams is so grateful she's testing negative. She says Hopkins is mentally sick and needs help. still, she's seeking justice. To others, she says simply: beware of who you sleep with.

"Don't trust anybody, do your research," said Williams.

This case is set for a hearing next month. Hopkins is still in jail and Williams has an order saying he can't contact her.

Prosecutor Larry Jegley says he's handled about ten of these cases, all but one ended in conviction here.

With Love from Sir Elton John

Love Is the Cure tells the moving story of Elton’s friendship with Ryan White and his family, and how Ryan’s courageous struggle with hemophilia and HIV/AIDS and his humane response to the stigma associated with his illness inspired Elton to change his life and create the Elton John AIDS Foundation. He reflects on 20 years of the Foundation's work through frontline stories from EJAF grantees around the world, and offers his insights on how compassion can be a transformative force in the fight against AIDS.

Sales of Love Is the Cure directly support the work of the Foundation, and we hope you will support EJAF and help to spread Elton’s important message by reading the book and telling your friends and family about it. You can order a copy of the book from Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or you can find a copy at your local book store. The Living Affected Corporation will be seeking to submit a proposal to EJAF during its funding period in 2013.