Richmond Campus Sexual Misconduct Lawyer
Sexual misconduct offenses are among the more severe offenses a student can be charged with. A conviction could not only dismantle a person’s future, but it would also damage their reputation if a conviction leads to a requirement of being listed on the sexual offender’s list. As a result, individuals charged with this offense should do everything they can to avoid such an outcome.
Get in touch with a Richmond campus sexual misconduct lawyer today if you have been charged. The consequences of a conviction may be too difficult to overcome on your own, so reach out to a dependable student defense attorney today for help with building a solid and convincing defense.
How Does the Law Define Sexual Misconduct?
Sexual misconduct can be considered any type of sexual advance towards another, whether physical or otherwise, that is unwanted.
As far as Richmond law is concerned, there is not necessarily a single definition of sexual misconduct because sexual misconduct is not necessarily, in and of itself, a crime. However, the phrasing sexual misconduct can create issues on a college campus that can lead to administrative action from the university.
Campuses operate using a different definition of sexual misconduct, and generally, every campus has their own idea of what they consider to be misconduct. At the state level, rape or sexual battery or object sexual penetration are possible charges. All those charges are codified differently and are going to have different consequences that would be applicable.
Why are Sexual Misconduct Cases so Prevalent on College Campuses?
The biggest trend in sexual misconduct cases on college campuses is the #MeToo movement. Alleged victims of sexual misconduct are beginning to have their voices heard more and more, making these types of offenses difficult to ignore. As a result, universities and local police departments are beginning to take these types of cases much more serious than in the past, making it vital for someone accused of this type of offense to obtain legal assistance as quickly as possible.
How Does the Use of Alcohol or Drugs Complicate Sexual Misconduct Cases?
The use of alcohol and drugs complicate sexual cases greatly. The number one issue with misconduct on college campuses is the understanding of what is consensual.
Consent is something that can be given expressly or implied, and when you invite alcohol or drugs into that interaction where consent is not expressly given, you are then asking young men and young women to make decisions based off implications when their judgment is skewed or affected by substances that have been placed in their bodies voluntarily. People make decisions they may not necessarily would have made if they had been sober. People do things they may not necessarily have done when they were sober, and it becomes a job of the university and the state to figure out what communication, whether it was expressed by a yes or a no or it was implied through some kind of physical action, occurred to allow the acts that came next.
There is also the way that alcohol is used in a predatory nature by individuals who know that the use of drugs and alcohol can not only distort the user’s views, understanding, inhibitions, etc., but also alcohol and certain drugs or depressants can slow down the central nervous system to the point at which somebody blacks out, does not know what is going on, and then their ability to consent is taken away.
Contact a Richmond Campus Sexual Misconduct Attorney Today
Being involved in a sexual misconduct case could bring about various unwanted consequences. In addition to potentially losing eligibility to continue to attend a university, you could also suffer criminal consequences as well. You could also be required to register for the Sex Offender registry, making it difficult to uphold a decent reputation. To learn more, call today.