General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: CNN reporting 5th accuser comes forward against Al Franken [View all]forgotmylogin
(7,520 posts)This is all IMHO, but circumstances and context are important.
In public, especially with witnesses, if someone touches you inappropriately and surreptitiously, you should immediately and loudly call it out so everyone can hear. "Bob, you need to move your hand off my ass right now." Witnesses should be supportive, and this should be the end of it. The recipient cannot let it go by without immediate acknowledgment or it's one person's word against the other. If everyone does this and Bob is getting called out repeatedly, people will stop posing for pictures with Bob. If this is at work and Bob doesn't stop, he will get fired because everyone knows it's happening.
If this happens in a workplace environment, a manager or HR should be notified and should deal with it per company policy. This is "harassment". It shouldn't require law enforcement of any kind except in extreme edge cases - if the mailman knocks on your door every day with trousers unzipped and his penis exposed.
"Assault" is a crime that leaves evidence - saliva or other body fluid, hair, torn clothing, scratches, bruises, injuries to one or either party, DNA, photographic evidence; anything that can be used in a court case to prove that it happened. I can even include touching someone in private as assault, especially if the victim is detained or verbally threatened. If Bob corners you in the broom closet and fondles your breasts with no witnesses, that's assault and a crime.