Upon entering the police vehicle I asked the officer to please let me take my purse so I had my meds, they were very important. I told the officer I was HIV positive and my meds were in the purse. He then screamed at me "What the fuck is wrong with you not telling me you HIV?" I said "I didn't know we were going to have sex." He said it's my job to alert everyone upon my contact with them to disclose. When I asked him about the HIPAA law and if he was familiar with it and how it was in place to protect myself from certain people disclosing confidential medical information they may only know because of circumstances, he told me to shut the fuck up and if I spoke again he would pepper spray me.
I then stayed quiet so as to not incur more charges. Upon entering the jail, He yelled to all his fellow officers "This girl is infected with HIV."
I WAS APPALLED AND FELT LESS THAN BY HIS BEHAVIOR thus leaving me to not establish with the nurse that I needed my meds OR that I was receiving care for HIV. Another officer asked me if I really thought he cared if I live or die.
When I thought this was over, it was not yet. A female officer approached me to say how disgusting I looked with acne like shit all over my body. I replied "It is Lupus Ma'am". She said, "Whatever, it's disgusting."
Woah is me to have a medical condition. I never want to go back to jail let alone have to do time and have taken away the ability to keep my HIV at bay and undetectable. I am so hurt at how little people working with the public really know or care to learn about those of us living with this diagnosis.
I wanted to write this down to share how very far from HIV education we are in the public forum of life. After over 30 years, people still believe it’s not their own responsibility to address HIV as a whole.
Not sure if anyone wants to hear this but this is what I experienced as I was booked into county for a simple battery. Needless to say I been off my meds after fighting to get them back after being cut off from my healthcare. After getting back on, I am now back off them until I get a police escort (same county of police officers) to retrieve them. I only hope today goes smooth so I can return to my daily regimen and stay healthy.
Just a side note of information for you all. Glad to not be alone anymore while dealing with such ignorance. All my love to others facing the same challenges. Together, WE are the changes.
