Charged With A Crime? Have a Former Prosecutor On Your Side - Criminal Defense Attorney Bonavita

Learn More About Bonavita

Criminal Attorney Bonavita is a skilled litigator with extensive courtroom experience. As a former Criminal Prosecutor for both the Office of the
Attorney General and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, she successfully argued her perspective to either a judge or jury on hundreds of occasions.

Sexual Battery

Sexual Battery

Facebook Plusone Linkedin Pinterest Email

Sexual Battery in Massachusetts refers to sex crimes not typically covered by rape statutes, such as unlawful sexual contact. Sexual battery is often characterized as sexual touching or penetration without consent of the person. The mere touching of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification qualifies as sexual battery. Penetration does not have to occur, unlike a rape charge.

In Massachusetts, sexual battery is codified in the law as “indecent assault and battery.” By definition, indecent assault and battery occurs when a person has “intentionally had physical contact of a sexual nature with a victim without consent.” The type of contact includes touching a woman’s breasts or buttocks, or touching the pubic area of a man or woman.

Penalties for Sexual Battery in Massachusetts 

The penalty for sexual battery classified under indecent assault and battery is a felony that may be punishable by up to five years imprisonment.

Defense of a Sexual Battery in Massachusetts 

The list of defenses for Sexual battery in Massachusetts here is not exclusive, but are the most common defenses used, which include:

  • Consent (Sexual battery of a minor cannot use consent defense, nor can consent be used if the victim lacked the capacity to do)
  • Insufficient evidence of incident (lack of physical evidence, lack of eyewitnesses)
  • Improper police procedure (illegal questioning, sloppy evidence handling)
  • False allegations/credibility issues (“he said, she said”, jilted/angry partner)

Attempted Sexual Battery in Massachusetts

Attempted sexual battery occurs when the prosecution can prove that there was an intent by the defendant to place the victim in immediate threat and danger of sexual battery. If the prosecution can show a specific intent to commit a sexual battery, you can be found guilty. Common examples of this would be locking a victim in the bedroom for the purpose of sexual activity or drugging a victim with the intent of sexual contact.

If you are facing charges for Sexual Battery in Newburyport, Salem, Boston, Amesbury, Salisbury, Lawrence, Ipswich, or any town in the Essex, Suffolk, or Middlesex counties in Massachusetts, call Criminal Attorney Bonavita immediately at 978-376-6746 or email her with your case information!

Communities Served By Criminal Attorney Bonavita
Essex CountySuffolk CountyMiddlesex County

SUFFOLK COUNTY

suffolk county criminal attorney

Boston
Dorchester
Hyde Park
Jamaica Plain
Roxbury
South Boston
West Roxbury
Charlestown
Chelsea
Revere
Winthrop

MIDDLESEX COUNTY

middlesex county criminal attorney

Acton
Arlington
Ashby
Ashland
Ayer
Bedford
Belmont
Billerica
Boxborough
Burlington
Cambridge
Carlisle
Chelmsford
Concord
Dracut
Dunstable
Everett
Framingham
Groton
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Lexington
Lincoln
Littleton
Lowell
Malden
Marlborough
Maynard
Medord
Melrose 

Natick 
Newton 
North Reading
Marlborough
Maynard
Medord
Melrose
Natick
Newton
North Reading
Pepperell
Reading
Sherborn
Shirley
Somerville
Stoneham
Stow
Sudbury
Tewksbury
Townsend
Tyngsborough
Wakefield
Waltham
Watertown
Wayland
Westford
Weston
Wilmington
Winchester
Woburn

  1. Please include as much information as possible as it relates to your case. Criminal Attorney Bonavita will review your information and contact you immediately.

    Your Name (required)

    Your Email (required)

    Your Phone Number

    Subject

    Your Message

    Enter below code

    captcha

    Law Office Of Attorney Kristen Bonavita Address: 6 Harris Street, Newburyport, MA 01950 Phone: 978-376-6746
    Massachusetts Criminal Lawyer Kristen Bonavita serves the following communities: Andover, Amesbury, Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, West Newbury, Boston Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, South Boston, West Roxbury, Charlestown, Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop, Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medord, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Marlborough, Maynard, Medord, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Sherborn, Shirley, Somerville, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn.
    Copyright © 2011 Bonavita Law. All rights reserved.

    NorthShore – Boston Criminal Lawyer Bonavita