Here's Why You Need An Attorney When Facing Sex Crimes Charges
Sex crimes involve sexual acts which threaten or cause physical, emotional, and mental harm to the victim. Examples include rape, child pornography, inappropriate relationships with a minor, and sexual assault and harassment. Such offenses attract strict penalties and damage a person's reputation. If you're accused of committing sexual offenses, you need to seek the services of a sex crime attorney immediately. The following are some reasons to hire a sex crime attorney.
Sex Crimes Attract Severe Penalties and Consequences
Sex crimes get a lot of attention from the media and the local community. People often empathize with the victims before the suspect is given a hearing. If you're charged with a sex offense, you should prepare a proper defense to convince the jury of your innocence and increase the chances of acquittal. It's easy to make mistakes when representing yourself on trial. However, you can't afford to make mistakes during a sex crime hearing because such offenses have strict penalties like extended jail terms and probation. Moreover, being on the sexual offenders' registry destroys your reputation and eliminates your chances of employment in specific sectors. An attorney helps to carefully prepare your defense and present the best version of your case, increasing its chances of success.
Access to Statutory Rape Defense From an Expert Attorney
When it comes to sexual crimes, one of the main things courts try to establish beyond whether the alleged offense took place or not is consent. However, statutory rape is defined by a statute, and once it's established that the alleged sexual act took place, the question of consent is irrelevant. The most common example of statutory rape is having sexual relations with a minor. That attracts legal penalties regardless of whether or not it was consensual. However, there are defenses to statutory rape, and lack of awareness results in jail terms. Thus, the need for a sex crimes attorney. They examine your case's facts and help you develop a legally acceptable defense. For example, if a minor conducted themselves in ways that suggested she was an adult, e.g., having a fake ID or you met in adults only area like a bar, it could be sufficient grounds for a strong defense.
Sexual Offence Attorney Handles Everything Related to Your Case
Sexual offenses cases can be overwhelming as you have to deal with reputation damage and media attention. Besides that, there's the task of preparing defense paperwork. Managing these issues requires an experienced person with a clear mind free from emotional pressure to avoid making mistakes. That's a sex crime attorney. They handle everything from addressing the media, arguing your bail application, and preparing for the primary lawsuit.
For more information, contact a sex crimes attorney near you.