关于传播性病罪的二三事

On the Crime of Spreading Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

刑法第360条规定了传播性病罪,即"明知自己患有梅毒、淋病等严重性病卖淫、嫖娼的"。短短20个字,字字值得推敲。卖淫业作为一个古老的职业,与梅毒这一传统的性病从来是相互依存。1979年《刑法》并未对此做出规定,而1997年《刑法》已将明知患有严重性病而卖淫、嫖娼纳入其规范范畴。但是,何谓明知?性病与严重性病的内涵、界限是什么?在司法实务中如何认定本罪?这些都值得讨论。

The 360 clause of the Criminal Law specifies the crime of spreading STDs as ＂to engage in prostitu- tion while knowingly suffering from serious STDs such as syphilis and gonorrhea＂. These words are worth scruti- ny. Prostitution, as one of the oldest profession, shares a history with syphilis and other STDs. The 1979 Criminal Law did not include such a crime while the 1997 version does. But how should ＂knowingly suffering＂ be defined？ What are the connotation and boundaries of STDs and serious STDs？ In judicial practice, how to identify this crime？ These are important issues for discussion.