Over 65 Years Of Combined Trial Experience

Sex crimes can be more complex than you think

On Behalf of | Jan 25, 2016 | Firm News, Sex Offenses |

The problem with sex crimes in most instances is that few people truly give credit to just how ambiguous many sex crimes are, as well as how difficult it can sometimes be to prove one side of the story over the other. Many people treat sex crimes as though they are black and white: no means no, therefore if you always make sure that sex is consensual, you will not be committing a crime. But what about statutory rape, in which a person says yes, but is not legally allowed to give consent, and therefore you have committed rape.

Not only are the crimes themselves often oversimplified, but also the circumstances under which a crime is committed may not be as easy as it seems either. For example, if you meet someone at a bar, and the two of you go back your house and have consensual sex, he or she may claim the following day that you sexually assaulted him or her. Forensic evidence will be able to prove that sexual relations did indeed occur, and it will mainly be your word against the victim’s as to whether or not the sex was consensual.

Alternatively, the two scenarios could be combined to be even further misleading. Imagine, for example, that you have consensual sex with a person whom you believe to be above the legal age of consent. The person tells you that he or she is 25 years old, for instance, so you feel that everything is fine. Later, you learn that the person was below the age of consent and that technically you committed statutory rape.

The truth is that there are many different ways in which someone might commit a sex crime without even knowing. If you have been accused of a sex crime in Louisiana, visit our website to schedule a free consultation and receive legal aid that can help you build a solid defense case.

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