Sexual Molestation Lawyer San Francisco CA
Many people do not think that date rape holds the same serious level as other types of rapes. In California and in other states, the only difference between the seriousness of the terms is the status of the people involved in the incident. In the majority of rape cases, the victim and the person accused of the crime did not know each other. In cases where a person is accused of date rape, also referred to as acquaintance rape, the person accused and the person doing the accusing knew each other on some level. If you have been accused of date rape, you should call a sexual molestation lawyer San Francisco, CA clients trust right away.
Under the law, date rape can occur between two people who are friends, two people who are on a date, two people who are in a relationship, or two people who were formally in a relationship. Some people who are accused of date rape don’t believe the accusations are as serious as if a stranger had accused them of rape and think that even if they are convicted, the penalties won’t be as bad as they would be if they were convicted of raping a stranger.
A sexual molestation lawyer in San Francisco, CA knows the law does not recognize a difference between rape or date rape. Both of these acts are considered criminal sexual assault and a conviction can have harsh penalties. A criminal sexual assault charge can be brought against anyone who commits an act of sexual penetration by using force or threat of force whether the two parties knew each other or not. Although not a common factor in date rape cases, if the threat of a weapon was used or a weapon actually was used, the charge could be elevated to aggravated criminal sexual assault.
Convictions of sexual molestation, sexual assault, or other sex crimes can result in mandatory prison time, depending on the circumstances of the crime and if the defendant has a prior criminal record. The person convicted will also be required to register in the California Sexual Offender Database, where the information of where they live and what their crime was. Should they move to another state, they will be required to register with that state’s database, as well.
A conviction of a sex crime, even if there is no prison time, can impact the rest of the person’s life, interfering with obtaining housing, employment, relationships, and just about every other area of a person’s life.
Let Our Firm Help
If you have been accused of date rape or any other sex crime, you need to start building a defense immediately. These are serious charges and could result in you losing your freedom if the proper defense is not presented to the court. Contact The Morales Law Firm to schedule a free consultation with a San Francisco, CA sexual molestation lawyer today.
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