A sexual battery occurs when a perpetrator intends to cause a harmful or offensive contact with the victim’s private parts and a sexually offensive contact with the victim results, either directly or indirectly. It also occurs when the perpetrator intends to cause a harmful or offensive contact with the victim by use of the perpetrator’s private parts. As sexual battery also takes place when the perpetrator causes an imminent fear of a harmful or offensive contact with the victim’s private parts, or the victim by use of the perpetrator's private parts. For any claim of sexual battery, the victim must prove that he or she did not consent to the touching and that he or she was harmed or offended by the perpetrator’s conduct.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, consider seeking a restraining order.
Not only is sexual harassment illegal. The law also prohibits:
- Racial harassment
- Religious harassment
- Age-based harassment
- Harassment based on disability
- Harassment based on ethnicity or national origin
- Retaliation
Most people are familiar with workplace sexual harassment claims. Harassment in professional, business, and educational relationships are also illegal.