In many states it is a criminal offense to intentionally or recklessly transmit a sexually transmitted disease (STD or venereal disease) to another person. Examples of such diseases include HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), genital warts, and hepatitis B.
Laws vary from state to state, and in some states these laws include other infectious or communicable diseases. In some states there is a specific criminal offense for transmission of sexually transmitted or communicable diseases, and in other states criminal prosecutors charge the defendant with a more general crime like assault.
Laws regarding criminal liability for the intentional or reckless transmission of sexual or other infectious or communicable diseases are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code, or the health and safety code.
A person who negligently transmits a sexually transmitted disease to another person through sexual contact—without informing the other person of the offender’s infection before the sexual contact—may also be subject to civil liability for money damages in a lawsuit.
In Ohio, it is a criminal offense to knowingly cause another to be exposed to a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Ohio Revised Code Section 3701.241 states that no person, knowing that they are infected with an STD, shall behave in a manner that is likely to transmit the disease to another person who is not yet infected. This applies to diseases such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), genital warts, and hepatitis B. The law does not specify a particular criminal charge for this conduct, but it can be prosecuted under general criminal statutes, such as assault or reckless endangerment. Additionally, Ohio law allows for civil liability, meaning that a person who negligently transmits an STD without informing their partner can be sued for damages.
