How to dispute a sexual assault claim
There are many defenses that you may use if you are accused of sexual assault in Arizona or any other state. In some cases, it may be possible to admit to touching or having sex with an alleged victim without admitting that you did anything wrong.
Deny the charge entirely
One defense to a sexual assault charge is to claim that you couldn’t have possibly committed the crime in question. You may be able to do this by presenting an alibi at trial or by submitting evidence proving that the victim incorrectly identified you as the person who committed the assault. If it is available, DNA evidence might be used to exonerate you or create enough reasonable doubt to obtain an acquittal.
Argue that you had consent to be physical with your accuser
It may be possible to obtain a favorable outcome in a sexual assault case by showing that the plaintiff consented to a sexual encounter. It is important to note that minors and others who lack the capacity to understand what is happening to them generally cannot consent to sexual activity.
It is also worth noting that it may be possible to use your own inability to comprehend your actions as a defense against such a charge. Even if a plaintiff did have the ability to consent, it may be difficult or impossible to prove that it was given freely.
You may experience negative consequences if you are convicted of a sex crime. For instance, you may spend time in jail, lose a professional license or have strained relationships with friends or family members. A criminal defense attorney may be able to use multiple forms of evidence to establish that you are innocent of the charge or that you didn’t intend to violate the law.
