Assault is defined as the crime of threatening to use violence or force against another person. When a person is assaulted, he/she will become fearful of his/her personal well-being and safety. Assault is carried out when a threat is issued, a victim is intimidated, and the person issuing the threat has the means and/or ability to cause harm to the victim. For example, if someone threatens to attack another person when no one else is around, he/she will be committing assault.

Battery is defined as unlawful physical touching or motion to exercise unlawful physical touching. When a person commits battery, he/she is willfully trying to cause serious bodily harm to another person. If a person attacks another person, he/she can be charged with battery, even if he/she did not inflict serious injury on the other person.

Sexual battery is defined as non-consensual touching of another person’s genitals or intimate area. Like the crime of battery, sexual battery is committed when a person willfully and inappropriately touches another person without consent, or with the intention to cause the person bodily harm. In most cases, sexual battery is classified as a felony, and is punishable with jail time if the person is convicted.

Sexual assault and/or battery are not only extremely invasive, but also unlawful, and must be reported from the onset. If instances of sexual assault & battery are not reported, it is likely that they will continue, or even become worse as time progresses. For this reason, it is always in a person’s best interest to report sexual assault & battery as soon as it starts to either his/her manager, supervisor, upper management, or human resources department.

If you would like to speak with one of our knowledgeable Los Angeles sexual assault & battery attorneys, please call 1-888-252-7991 to schedule your case evaluation.