A transgender woman charged with grievous bodily harm for allegedly failing to disclose her HIV status is being held in a male prison in WA despite identifying as a woman.
CJ Palmer was extradited from New South Wales to Western Australia to face charges after she was accused of not disclosing her HIV status to a client while providing services as a sex worker. The client subsequently tested positive for HIV.
WA’s Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said the department could not comment on individual cases but prisoners were assigned to prisons inline with the WA prison’s act.
Mr Francis said assessment of prisoners is based on risk factors including vulnerability and self-harm and the department is bound to comply with WA’s Gender Reassignment act where required.
Ms Walker appeared in Perth’s Magistrates Court yesterday and was denied bail.
Free and confidential testing for men for HIV is available at the M-Clinic or via your doctor. More information about HIV can be access via the WA AIDS Council.
Sources
Update: 28-02-16 The name of the defendant in the article was changed to reflect their wishes of how they would like to be identified. 02-03-2016 Information about the M-Clinic and WA AIDS Council was added to this story.
