TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - With the growing number of allegations across the country, what actually constitutes sexual assault according to the law?
The definition varies from state to state. Under Florida statute, it's referred to as "sexual battery."
Most cases involve a person accused of forcing another person into a sexual act against his or her will. Some sort of penetration or union of sexual organs is required to constitute sexual battery.
"Obviously, it has to do with age and consent of the individual," said Lt. Grady Jordan with the Leon County Sheriff's Office. "It also has to do with the touching or union with a sexual genitalia or sexual organ. Just a random touch does not constitute necessarily a sexual battery unless you're touching that person's sexual organ, so at that point, it would just be a simple battery, which is a misdemeanor."
It should be noted that sexual harassment and sexual assault are not considered the same under Florida law.