As law enforcement strives to cut down on the amount of violent crimes in the country—crimes such as homicide, domestic abuse and sexual assault—more and more people are being accused of crimes that they might not have committed. Sometimes even if the accused is acquitted, his or her life is never the same due to the media frenzy that can surround these cases. One of the best ways to avoid such an ordeal is to know what these violent crimes consist of and how best to defend yourself against false allegations.
Sexual assault is a difficult violent crime to manage, in part because evidence in these cases can often be circumstantial, or become a battle of he said, she said. The law defines sexual assault as a case in which one party offensively forces unwanted sexual touching on another. However, it is in this area where the case can become difficult. While forensic evidence can usually determine whether or not sexual touching occurred, it is much harder to concretely claim that the contact was not consensual.
Imagine you meet a beautiful person at a local bar and the two of you engage in consensual sexual relations that night, only for you to wake up and be accused of sexual assault. Witnesses can claim that they saw the two of you leave together, evidence can be found on the person, and your only defense is the claim that the other person is lying, and that the sexual contact was consensual. Unfortunately, such cases do happen, and in those instances, it is imperative for the accused to seek legal counsel to help them mount a defense to clear their name.
You can find more information on sexual assault here. Keep in mind that the law can vary by state, so if you live in Florida and you have been accused of sexual assault, it is in your best interests to confer with an attorney who is familiar with Florida law.
