Rape, sexual assault or criminal sexual penetration is sexual intercourse that is forced on another without the person's consent or against the person's will. A lesser form of this crime – typically referred to as sexual battery or criminal sexual contact – is sexual contact or touching that does not involve intercourse or sexual penetration, but is still a criminal offense.
While the term "sexual battery" refers to criminal sexual touching in most states, a few states use the term to refer to the more serious offense of rape or criminal sexual penetration. This article addresses sexual battery as a crime involving improper sexual touching and not one involving penetration.
Rape, sexual assault or criminal sexual penetration is defined as sexual penetration or sodomy without consent. Sexual penetration is penetration of the vagina with a body part or an object and sodomy refers to oral sex – contact between the mouth and penis or female genitalia – or penetration of the anus with a body part of object.
Sexual battery or criminal sexual contact is sexual conduct that does not involve penetration or sodomy, but does involve physical contact of a sexual nature without the other person's consent. It often is defined as the touching of an intimate part of the body (clothed or unclothed, depending on the state) for the purpose of sexual arousal or pleasure, without the other person's consent; or forcing another person to touch an intimate part of the offender's body for the same purpose.
Lack of consent is the crucial component of sex crimes. Sexual conduct becomes criminal when sexual touch is not consented to, either because the offender forces another person to be sexual against his or her will, or because the other person is considered incapable of consent or to have diminished mental capacity to consent. Minors under a certain age, such as fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen years old, are considered incapable of consenting to sexual contact regardless of their mental capacity to understand the nature of the act or their ability to refuse. Sexual contact with a minor is often referred to as "statutory rape." (For exceptions and other information about statutory rape and minors and sexual contact, see "Sexual Conduct with a Minor," below). In addition, sex with the following people is criminal if they do not have the capacity to knowingly consent:
In some states, sexual contact with a minor above a certain age is criminalized only if the offender is older than the victim by a certain number of years – more than three years, for instance. This allows for a fifteen year old and eighteen year old girlfriend and boyfriend to have sexual contact with each other without the older boyfriend's actions being criminal. If a 21 year old has sexual contact with a 15 year old in the same state, however, the sexual contact would be criminal. In some states, this exception is limited to heterosexual relationships.
Many states also criminalize sexual contact between a person in a position of authority or trust, such as a teacher, athletic coach, police officer, or prison guard, and someone over whom that person has authority, like a student, a person in police custody, or a prisoner. The rationale for criminalizing this conduct is that the authority the teacher or authority figure has over the student or other person diminishes or even negates that person's capacity to consent or refuse.
Many states also criminalize sexual contact between a psychotherapist or other mental health care provider and a client or patient, on the grounds that the nature of the relationship makes the client or patient incapable of knowing, voluntary consent.
Defendants charged with sexual battery or criminal sexual contact have the usual defenses available to all criminal defendants, starting with "someone else committed this crime." A defendant also can claim that the sexual activity was consensual. In a criminal sexual contact case, there can be significant questions about what constitutes consent or what constitutes refusal. This has led to the infamous question of when does "No" mean "No?" Does the word constitute a lack of consent as soon as it is spoken, or must the victim object more vigorously?
Another possible defense is an insanity plea, in which the defense argues that the accused is mentally ill and did not have the capacity to control his behavior, to form the intent to commit a crime, or to understand what he was doing or that his actions were unlawful.
Criminal sexual contact or sexual battery that does not involve penetration usually is considered a less serious crime than rape, and the penalty for the offense is less than the possible penalty for rape or criminal sexual penetration. Sexual battery is a felony crime in some states, however, and criminal sexual contact that results in personal injury or is committed with a deadly weapon or by more than one person normally is a felony and as serious as the crime as rape.
Sentences for this type of crime can range from one to several years in prison, depending on the circumstances and the state's sentencing guidelines. Some states require a minimum prison sentence or require the court to impose a prison sentence without probation or early parole. In other states, the judge may have some discretion regarding the length of the sentence and whether to allow the defendant to serve any portion or all of the sentence on probation rather than in prison.
In some states, criminal sexual contact without a weapon that involves only force or coercion is a misdemeanor and not a felony. An offender convicted of a misdemeanor can be sentenced in most states to up to one year in a jail, but is not required to serve time in prison.
A person convicted of a sex crime also will face penalties or consequences other than jail or prison. For instance, sex offenders normally are required to undergo treatment either in jail or prison or as a condition of probation.
Every state in the U.S. has a sex offender registration and notification program. Sex offender registry statutes require that persons convicted of a sex offense register with the sex offender registry in the state where they reside. A sex offense requiring registration usually is any crime that includes sexual penetration or sexual contact as an element.
Registration as a sex offender requires a person to have his name, address and information about his crime on file with the registry. Some or all of that information is available to the public and every state has a sex offender web site that the public can search.
Get state specific information for sexual battery laws and penalties for the following states.
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Mississippi
Ohio
South Carolina
Tennessee
A sex crime is a very serious criminal charge. A conviction for even misdemeanor sexual battery can seriously affect your life. Defendants face the possibility of time in jail or a lengthy prison sentence and the stigma of being a convicted felon. (Felons lose the ability to vote or own firearms). Being required to register as a sex offender is considered by many as the most onerous consequence, because the label "sex offender" has such a negative connotation in the public eye and can making finding employment and housing extremely difficult for the registered offender.
For these reasons, it is essential for a person accused of sexual battery to secure competent counsel as soon as possible. An experienced criminal defense attorney will thoroughly investigate your case, aid you in asserting any possible defenses, and guide you through the criminal court process. In some instances, an attorney can negotiate a plea agreement involving a guilty plea to a lesser offense that does not require sex offender registration. If a plea agreement is not an option, a criminal defense attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in your state's law and local criminal court process can represent you at trial and ensure your rights are protected.
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