I'm still furious about the lack of thought most people have on this issue.
While I don't disagree that the woman was foolish for not using protection, I also see that what the man did was with malice. He knowingly exposed her to an illness. Thats criminal.
It seems like most people really only care about branding the woman with any label - that of "slut" - for having sex after four dates. This without knowing what happened during those four dates and having no concept of what its like to be around the age of 50.
I see a lot of hateful and ignorant internet trolls out there who care more about attacking a woman than saying one thing about a man who would lie about an illness and infect someone with it.
![The Public Rejects Compensation for 'Surprise STDs' [INFOGRAPHIC]](http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002739029/stds-80129585419_xlarge.png "The Public Rejects Compensation for 'Surprise STDs' [INFOGRAPHIC]")
The Public Rejects Compensation for 'Surprise STDs' [INFOGRAPHIC]
SodaHead Infographics
2012/06/19 18:13:05
A couple of weeks ago, a woman reportedly won $900,000 in court from a guy who gave her genital herpes. According to the report, the man failed to inform her of his disease and refused to use protection. But we wanted to know if the public feels that victims of "suprise STDs" should receive compensation, or if they should still be held personally accountable for neglecting to use protection. Check out this week's infographic for details on how people responded. Let's dive!
Top Opinion
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Superman 2012/06/19 18:56:49
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Everyone is ignoring the malice of the man on this issue. Straight up malice. Malice trumps stupidity.
It is what happens when you have sex unprotected. The pill doesn't protect from STDs. Heck I was in the unfortunate position one night in my college years where I didn't have a condom on me. I told her no (it was hard to do). She looked at me and said "You got to be kidding me?) She went into her roommates room and grabbed one.
This woman was how old? She took a risk she never should have.
"Funny, you'd think the person who knows they have an STD would have protection to keep a partner safe. " Will add yes I agree. Why i doubt she was a partner rather than a gold digger.
Where is his personal responsibility for grasping that information and doing something with it? Where is his responsibility to say, "wrap it up"?
Only one person in this equation seems to be held to any responsibility to their actions. He is completely unmentioned and let off by you.
And then, of course, without any information about her you make the claim shes a "gold digger". Does he have a ton of money? Do we know this? Its an emotional and unsubstantiated accusation. And this is the BS mindset that I hate.
From a medical journal: I wish I could highlight not guaranteed. Yes he was. Yes she was wrong. 900k and the precedent it now holds.. I think is wrong.
"Between outbreaks, it's OK to have sex, as long as your partner understands and accepts the risk. He or she can be infected even when you don't have symptoms or sores. To help prevent infecting your partner, always use a latex condom for vaginal sex, anal sex, and receiving fellatio. Condoms are not guaranteed to prevent infection, but research has shown that they provide some protection. Use a dental dam for cunnilingus and analingus."
Did he inform her of the risk and was she allowed to make a call based on all the information? No.
If he had told her on the first date or seconds beforehand then I'd be 100% on his side. Shed have had all the information. She didn't. He withheld. He's the bad guy. Case closed.
He said he didn't have a condom and she still went through with it.
"He's the bad guy. Case closed." That I can agree with. I am disagreeing with the monetary award. He is an ass.
So her punishment is a lifetime of STDs and his punishment is getting called an ass after 10 or so posts blaming her? Sounds equitable (sarcasm).
Amazing huh?
Stop letting him off the hook.
The detail of the reward is not as interesting to me as is the fact that he shares a larger portion of the blame and that that is recognized. I'm tired of seeing a lot of people on here calling her the slut while having to wait forever to hear this guy get taken to task or sometimes even held to a 50/50 account when he was worse.
And I'll argue all along that the concept of restitution for knowingly infecting someone is a good precedent in that in time it may reduce the spread of infection and risk factors for sex. 900k or 90k, whatever, I just want people to truly be held responsible for their actions.
Like I said before.. if he did with the intent of infecting her then yes you are right. Nothing I read showed intent.
Now, if he didn't know that he had an STD than too bad for her. Thats what happens. But I haven't yet read an argument from his side that he didn't know.
So to be precise:
- 50/50 and no damage if he didn't know or if he knew and informed her and she took the risk anyway.
- 75/25 if he knowingly exposed her while withholding that information.
- 100 if he had in a premeditated fashion sought to make sure she was infected.
Court got this one right. Damages and restitution amount are another thing, and I really don't care about that.
You ask why did she, but surely a far more important question in this debate is why did he?
There is fault by both as far as I am concerned.