Few criminal charges can be as devastating to the accused as sex crime charges. Even if you are innocent of the charges, rumors of misdeeds can stay with you for life. You could lose your livelihood, friends, and family due to these charges. While you may not be able to do much to prevent rumors, you can establish your innocence as quickly as possible. The sooner you are acquitted or those charges are dropped or dismissed, the easier it will be to shake the cloud of suspicion. Attorney Kevin Cahill is familiar with common sex crimes in Colorado and can help you clear your reputation as quickly as possible.
Common Colorado Sex Crimes
It is easy to give in to despair after being charged with a sex crime, especially if you don’t understand your rights. An experienced legal representative can explain the laws to you and what you can do to defend yourself. Typically, sex crime charges are for one of the following common sex crimes in Colorado:
- Rape
- Sodomy
- Sexual assault with an object
- Fondling
- Invasion of privacy.
The first three are different types of sexual assault. There is a significant difference between the penalties for various sex crime convictions. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can help you get charges reduced and perhaps dismissed when facing common sex crimes in Colorado.
Colorado’s Sex Crime Definitions
Sexual assault is defined by several acts such as:
- The actor causes submission of the victim by employing sufficient consequence reasonably calculated to cause submission against the victim’s will.
- The actor knows that the victim is incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct.
- At the time of the commission of the act, the victim is less than fifteen years of age and the actor is at least four years older than the victim and is not the spouse of the victim.
- The actor, while purporting to offer a medical service, engages in treatment or examination of a victim for other than a bona fide medical purpose or in a manner substantially inconsistent with reasonable medical practices.
Invasion of privacy is defined as:
A person who knowingly observes or takes a photograph of another person’s intimate parts without that person’s consent, in a situation where the person observed or photographed has a reasonable expectation of privacy, for the observer’s sexual gratification.
Unlawful sexual contact is defined as contact when:
- The actor knows that the victim does not consent;
- The actor knows that the victim is incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct;
- The victim is physically helpless and the actor knows that the victim is physically helpless and the victim has not consented.
Sexual exploitation of a child is defined as:
- Possession of material that shows a child engaged in sexual activity or sexually explicit poses
- Contributing to the manufacture or distribution of any of the above
- Enticing or inducing a child to engage in a sexual performance or sexual conduct.
A child is defined as anyone under the age of 18 for the above purposes. Activities that are considered consensual with adults are crimes when performed with children.
As you can see, the definitions of sex crimes are quite extensive, but now that you understand sex crimes better, let’s look at some statistics.
Were you arrested for one or more common Colorado sex crimes? You can’t afford to wait after an arrest. The sooner you consult with a sexual assault defense lawyer, the better you can protect yourself. Contact the Law Office of Kevin Cahill at 720-445-9887 today to schedule a consultation.
Sex Crimes Statistics in Colorado
Criminal statistics can help us understand how often sex crime charges are prosecuted in Colorado. If you or a loved one is accused of any crime, the Criminal Defense Law Office of Kevin Cahill may be able to help you with your case.
As stated on Colorado Crime Statistics website, there were 6,645 non-consensual sex offense charges made in 2022; however, 1,938 (about 29%) of the offenses were “cleared,” meaning solved by arrest and prosecution
The fact that about one-third of all sex offense charges are cleared means that fighting a sex crime accusation is possible with the right representation.
In 2022, 49.3% of violent sex crime victims were women, and men were the victims in 50.7% of the crimes. However, the gender divide is much greater when looking at the statistics of those who committed the crimes.
Men were accused in the commission of 82.8% of all violent sex crimes, which means women were accused of 17.2% of these crimes. As you can see, when it comes to sex crimes, men are much more likely to be accused than women.
Sexual misconduct allegations typically involve misunderstandings and complex situations. If you need help defending a loved one, contacting a Denver rape and sexual assault lawyer at our office can provide the necessary expertise and guidance for your case.
Defending Against Common Colorado Sex Crimes
How your attorney approaches the defense of your case depends on the circumstances of the charges. When possible, your lawyer will attempt to get the charge dropped or dismissed. This is the fastest way to end the case against you and may help remove the cloud of suspicion as well. When that isn’t possible, you may decide to negotiate a plea deal to avoid the worst penalties. Pleading guilty to lesser charges that don’t involve prison time or sex offender registration may be the right approach.
Contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer for Common Colorado Sex Crimes
Common Colorado sex crimes are often felonies that can result in years-long or decades-long prison sentences. However, just because you are charged with a crime, that doesn’t mean you deserve to be in prison. Kevin Cahill can help you understand your rights and protect you from unfair penalties for common Colorado sex crime charges.
Are you facing criminal charges for sex crimes in Colorado? Our law firm can help you defend yourself against those charges. Call (720) 445-9887 now for a free consultation with Kevin Cahill.