When you are facing allegations of sex crimes, it’s essential to know that a guilty verdict isn’t inevitable. There are several legal defenses that can be raised, including the following:
Alibi
If you can provide evidence that proves you were somewhere else when the alleged crime took place, this could lead to an acquittal. An alibi can include eyewitness testimony, video footage, receipts, or other evidence showing that you were somewhere else when the alleged sex crime occurred.
Consent
Proving that sexual activity was consensual between the involved participants serves as a powerful defense to some sex crimes. To show consent, your attorney can provide evidence such as direct testimony from you, witness statements, and shared communications between you and the alleged victim, like texts and emails.
Wrongly or Falsely Accused
The allegations against you are not true for one or a number of reasons and the prosecution has failed to prove each and every element beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mistake of Age in Statutory Rape Cases
If you’re charged with statutory rape, you may be able to use mistake of age as a legal defense. For example, if you can provide evidence that you had reason to believe the victim was of legal age – like they were being served alcoholic drinks in a bar – you may be able to obtain an acquittal.
Understanding and correctly implementing these defenses requires extensive legal knowledge and experience.