A sexual crime is a serious criminal offense. Being accused or arrested for a sex crime can be humiliating and frightening, as it comes with very harsh consequences. Conviction of a sex crime in the Commonwealth of Virginia and many other jurisdictions across all US can cause a convicted individual to face heavy fines and stiff penalties, including significant duration in prison. Moreover, it can also negatively affect the sex offender’s ability to find a house, employment, and interaction with family.
What Is Considered a Sex Crime in Virginia
WHAT IS A SEXUAL CRIME?
In simple words, Virginia law defines a sexual crime simply as an act of sex performed with someone without obtaining their consent. An actual physical contact is not necessary to occur, for you to be convicted of or charged with certain sexual crimes. For instance, an indecent exposure in a school or day care’s vicinity may in certain circumstances, be viewed as a sexual offense, even when no sex activity occurred.
COMMON SEX CRIMES IN VIRGINIA
Common sex crimes in Virginia include rape, forcible sodomy, object animate or inanimate sexual penetration, carnal knowledge of certain minors, aggravated sexual battery, sexual battery, infected sexual battery, crimes against nature, sexual abuse of a child under the age of 15 years, adultery and fornication by people forbidden to marry, attempted sexual crimes, third conviction of a sexual offense misdemeanor, sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children, and repeated sexual assault and violent sexual assault.
Sexual crimes in Virginia are broadly divided into two major categories, viz. sexual offenses and sexually violent offenses. Sexual offenses are those offensive activities that may not typically involve any kind of physical violence, like unlawful photography or child pornography; however, these may still label you as a ‘sex offender.’ Sexually violent offenses are the more serious sex crimes such as rape, sodomy, aggravated sexual battery, and abduction for immoral purposes, and these result in harsh prison terms as well as forced compliance with the Sex Offender Registry of Virginia. As sexual crimes are prosecuted so harshly with severe punishment, knowing the multiple categories in which an individual can be convicted and what to expect from sexual crimes charges is crucial.
Although the American legal system is established on the basic premise that a person is innocent unless proven otherwise, those who are accused of sex crimes are deemed guilty right away the police contact them. However, you should remember that everyone, accused of a sex crime is not guilty. That is why there are several plausible defenses to sex crime allegations and sexual abuse.
If you have been accused of a sex crime, hiring a defense lawyer early in the court proceedings is vital in understanding and fighting a sexual offense charge. Even a small mistake by a wrongly chosen attorney can cost you several dollars in fixing your case. Therefore, take interviews of several lawyers, consider those who are well-versed in sex crime cases, have good relationships with the judges and prosecutors in Virginia courts, have earned a great reputation in their field, and have a good deck of clients satisfied by their support and personal presentation.