The criminal offense of sexual assault generally involves forced sexual intercourse, sodomy, or other sexual penetration of another person—against the person’s will and without the person’s consent.

Sexual assault laws vary from state to state, and in some states the traditional criminal offense of rape is defined as the criminal offense of sexual assault. In some states the touching, groping, or pinching of the body of another person without the person’s consent and for purposes of sexual gratification is defined as sexual assault—and in other states such nonconsensual sexual contact is defined as the criminal offense of sexual battery or forcible touching, for example.

Sexual assault and related criminal offenses are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Oklahoma, the criminal offense of sexual assault encompasses various forms of nonconsensual sexual acts. Under Oklahoma law, rape is defined to include forced sexual intercourse, sodomy, or sexual penetration without the victim's consent. This aligns with the traditional definition of rape, which in some states is termed as sexual assault. Oklahoma statutes also recognize the crime of sexual battery, which involves the nonconsensual touching, groping, or contact with another's body for the purpose of sexual gratification. These offenses are serious crimes and are outlined in the state's penal code. The specific statutes detailing sexual assault, rape, and sexual battery provide the legal framework for prosecution and define the elements of each offense, as well as the potential penalties upon conviction.