The penalties for sex crimes are severe and often include jail time and fines. If you’ve been accused of a sex crime, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure how to defend yourself and assert your legal rights. At worst, you may not even know exactly what your rights are.
But you could rest assured you have rights, as with any other individual accused of a crime. And there are means you could resort to in order to help you defend yourself. Here are the things you could do when you’re charged with a sex crime in the United States.
- Find An Experienced Attorney
A sex crime conviction could have life-changing consequences, so choosing the proper representation from the outset should be the first step. Find an attorney in your city or state who has experience defending these types of cases. For example, if you’re in New York, a Brooklyn sex crimes defense attorney could help you fight an accusation of sexual assault or harassment.
If you’re unsure where to start your search, you could try speaking to your family members or friends about the best criminal lawyer they’ve ever come across. You may also want to look at online sources for a lawyer in your city or state specializing in this type of crime.
Attorney’s fees may not be too expensive if your case is simple. However, for more complex cases, it may be worth saving up for the best lawyer you could afford. Such a lawyer would work on your behalf and do their utmost to get your charges dropped and reduced.
- Create A Timeline
Sex crimes could happen everywhere, whether a person’s at home, at work, in a parking lot, or while ride-sharing. This shows how rampant these cases could be, so there’s the likelihood that allegations could be thrown around easily.
What you could do is to create a timeline of the events that occurred on the day or night you’re accused of sexual assault or harassment. This way, when the date of your hearing and trial comes, you could use this information to support your claim and strengthen your defense.
Doing so would also allow you to establish discrepancies in the opposing party’s argument. If that’s your intent, it’s recommended to know more about their evidence.
- Know What Type Of Evidence Will Be Used Against You
If you’ve been charged with any kind of sex crime, it’s essential to know what type of evidence the prosecution has against you. It’s also crucial to determine whether there’s any other information that could be valuable to your case.
Information like your accuser’s name, their work history, or their relationship with you could help the defense attorney find a way to disprove your guilt or at least reduce your charges. In sex crime cases, the prosecution would usually present the following evidence:
- The victim’s testimony, which may include reports from doctors if there was sexual assault;
- Pictures, videos, or recordings of the incident (sometimes there may be evidence that bystanders recorded);
- Other witnesses who saw or heard the crime happen;
- Written statements made by an eyewitness to the crime;
- Hair samples, bloodstains, and other biological evidence from both the victim and perpetrator.
Most of the time, the accuser would have some sort of evidence in hand, but there are cases where their charges may be groundless. If that’s the case, mediation might be possible.
- If You Believe The Charges Are Groundless, Ask For Mediation
If the accuser has little to no evidence to prove their argument, there’s a considerable likelihood the accusation is all just a misunderstanding. In such cases, rather than involving the court in your affair, it may be best to resolve the issue privately by asking for mediation, if applicable under the law of your state.
Of course, considering the trauma the victim might’ve suffered, meeting them in person would be difficult. But offering a mediation with your accuser in person would allow them to tell their side of the story and provide evidence to support their claim. For your part, try to prepare your arguments that would explain the root of the misunderstanding and perhaps an apology, too, for making the victim feel the way they did, even if you didn’t intend to.
- Find Someone Who’s Been Acquitted For A Similar Charge
It might also be helpful to find someone who has been acquitted of a similar charge. This person could provide essential insights that could potentially help you defend yourself. These may include the type of arguments that work best for sex crime accusations, the best kind of attorney to hire, and, most importantly, the common blunders you must avoid during the trial process.
- Seek Advice From Your Counsel Before Moving Further
In case you’re being investigated, involve your legal counsel before moving forward with the investigation. Upon detention, you may opt not to answer any question without the presence of your counsel, and you most certainly shouldn’t volunteer any information since anything you say could be used against you in court.
If there are things you don’t understand during the investigation or you have specific questions about your rights, always seek advice from your lawyer. There may be many other things you’re not aware of, so before going to the battlefield, it’s essential to equip yourself with as much knowledge as possible.
Final Words
Standing up against a sex crime accusation is no easy task. If you’re accused of sexual assault or any other sex crimes, there’s help for you. Some of these ways are outlined above. Take time to know them so you could possibly defend yourself from these charges. Most importantly, know your legal rights so you could act on them.
