The Definition of Sexual Battery
Sexual battery is an offense that can be charged against any intimate partner in a California domestic violence case. California law defines ‘intimate partners’ quite broadly – the couple can be heterosexual or homosexual and may be married, divorced, living together, have children in common, or be currently or formerly dating. Sexual battery is considered a “wobbler” offense, which means that it can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the facts of the case.
Anyone who touches an intimate partner against that person’s will for purposes of sexual arousal, sexual gratification or sexual abuse can be charged with misdemeanor sexual battery. Any physical contact, however minor, can be considered touching in a sexual battery case. It doesn’t matter whether the touching is accomplished directly or through the clothing of the accused or the accuser. Sexual battery may be charged even against a partner involved in an ongoing, intimate relationship.
Misdemeanor sexual battery with no aggravating circumstances carries a maximum of six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. However, if the touching occurs while the accuser is unlawfully restrained, institutionalized, seriously disabled, medically incapacitated or unconscious, the jail sentence may increase to a maximum of one year or the crime may rise to a felony, punishable by a maximum of four years in the state prison and a $10,000 fine.
Every crime has specific elements or facts that the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt in order to obtain a conviction against the defendant. Each element of the charge must be independently proved or else the jury must vote “not guilty.” In order to find the accused guilty of sexual battery, the prosecutor must prove three elements.
- The first element is that the accused touched an intimate part of his or her intimate partner. Note that this element doesn’t make any mention of injury. This is because a battery is simply any unwanted touching and has nothing to do with whether or not an injury was sustained by the offended party. The jury must only find that the defendant actually touched the accuser.
- The second element is that the touching was against the will of the person touched. As just mentioned, any unwanted touching is sufficient. This element will probably be the most difficult for the prosecution to prove because of the inherent sexual relationship that exists between intimate partners. In order for the prosecutor to prove this element, he or she must prove that the alleged victim made it clear that he or she did not want to be touched.
- The final element in this charge is that the accused touched the partner to specifically cause sexual arousal, gratification or abuse. This element’s proof will be likely based on the exact circumstances of the physical contact.
Sexual battery may be charged under a variety of circumstances. If the touching takes place while the alleged victim is unlawfully restrained by the accused or an accomplice, or if the alleged victim is institutionalized for medical treatment and is seriously disabled or medically incapacitated, then that fact (in addition to the three elements previously defined) must also be proved. In addition, it is a crime for an individual to cause a person who is in one of those situations to masturbate or touch another. If the touching takes place under those circumstances, then that fact must alternatively be proved in addition to the three previously defined elements.
In California, a sexual battery conviction is no joke. An accusation can be devastating, emotionally and financially, and a conviction carries severe penalties. To best avoid these consequences, it is imperative that an accused hires a skilled criminal defense lawyer who knows the most effective ways to refute this crime’s elements. In order to secure the best representation from a firm who has successfully defended countless intimate partner abuse cases, contact the experienced attorneys at the Kavinoky Law Firm for a free consultation.
