What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is a crime that occurs when a person touches another person in a sexual manner if that contact is unwanted by the victim. There are a variety of sex crimes that can fall under the sexual assault category. Attempted rape and groping are two examples. In all states, including Utah, sexual assault is illegal.
Who can be accused of sexual assault?
Anyone can be accused of sexual assault. The only thing that matters is that non-consensual sexual contact occurred. The contact can be between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman or a man and a man. Of course, false accusations, such as the ones published in Rolling Stone, are also possible.
It is important for anyone who is charged with sexual assault, even if the sexual assault accusation is false, to work swiftly on a defense. Because sexual assaults are very serious, convictions on sex-related charges are often considerable. With that in mind, those facing sex-related charges should make sure they understand their charges, the options they have at every step of the case and the possible penalties if a conviction is handed down.
Source: FindLaw, “Sexual Assault Overview,” accessed April. 09, 2015
