Being accused of sexual battery can have serious and life-altering effects to an individual’s life. It can drastically affect an individual’s relationships with their family, neighbors, and coworkers, as well as threaten future educational or professional opportunities.
A sex crime accusation can be difficult to navigate alone as the case tends not to include may if any witnesses other than the accused and accuser. For the reason, it is advisable to retain the expertise of a Mecklenburg sexual battery lawyer to help you better understand your specific case and go over your legal rights and options.
Sexual battery is often misunderstood and wrongly used interchangeably with rape. Under Virginia law, sexual battery is a sexual act or contact with another person for the intention of sexual arousal, gratification, or abuse when that other person is either mentally or physically helpless or has been forced to act against their own accord. The difference between sexual battery and rape is that rape involves forcible penetration of any kind. Therefore, it is possible to be charged with both sexual battery and rape, however, the clear distinction is that rape involves penetration whereas sexual battery does not.
Sexual battery in Virginia is defined as a Class 1 misdemeanor. This may result in a punishment of up to a year in jail. While that may not sound serious, any amount of time in prison can deteriorate not only an individual’s reputation but include financial stress as well. If an individual is in prison for a year, that is income that is not being earned, and even more, such a conviction may jeopardize an individual’s standing among their coworkers and in their profession.
It may also be the case that if convicted of sexual battery, the individual may need to enter into a sex offender registry. This may last anywhere from 10 to 30 years and completely destroy any semblance of privacy and can seriously inhibit job and housing opportunities for the future. That is why it is crucial to have an expert Mecklenburg sexual battery lawyer on your side to help defend you against such a conviction.
Often it is the case that sex crimes have a very limited number of witnesses. More often than not, the case turns into a “he said, she said” battle between the two conflicting parties. While this could be seen as a positive as the burden of proof is on the prosecution to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, without proper legal representation, you may be fighting a confusing and tricky battle.
Without a Mecklenburg sexual battery lawyer representing you, the prosecution may try to trick you into saying something incriminating or even take advantage of a presumed lack of legal knowledge. However, being represented by a criminal defense lawyer means that you will have an expert that can advise you on the legal process as well as may be able to craft a strong defense on your behalf.
As with most cases, it is important to act quickly so as to be well-informed and advised the best strategy to take when fighting a sexual battery conviction. Upon your arrest or accusation, the government will begin working to build a case to prove your guilt. Hiring a Mecklenburg sexual battery lawyer sooner rather than later may just be the difference between the outcome of your case. Do not hesitate and contact a Mecklenburg sexual battery lawyer today.