Forcing oneself on another person is a serious offense in South Carolina and elsewhere. Those accused of rape face a number of severe penalties that can ruin their hopes and plans for the future. If you find yourself in such a situation, what can you do?
Rape is basically defined as intercourse or other sexual penetration without consent. Consent is the key word here. Many cases come down to the victim’s word over the accused’s. Who is to be believed? That is a tough question to answer in court, and unfortunately, without a strong legal defense, some individuals who are wrongfully accused end up being convicted.
There are various defense strategies that may be used to fight a rape case or at least seek to minimize the potential consequences of a conviction. These include denial of involvement, claiming both parties consented or claiming diminished mental capacity. The details of your case will need to first be reviewed in order to decide the best legal route to take.
If you are convicted on a rape charge in South Carolina, you could face imprisonment, fines and placement on the Sex Offender Registry. All of these things can have a dramatic impact on both your personal and professional life. Knowing this, it is easy to get discouraged when dealing with a sex crime-related charge. Thankfully, with the support of legal counsel, you can take the actions necessary to fight for the best possible outcome. To learn how an attorney can assist you, please take a moment and visit our firm’s website.