Yes, unsolicited touching is still illegal
Mario Tama/Getty Images
In the depressing world of things that shouldn't need to be clarified, New York's Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday that a charge for "forcible touching" isn't limited to groping. The ruling upheld the 2009 conviction of Luis Guaman for rubbing his exposed penis against another subway rider.
"Any bodily contact involving the application of some level of pressure to the victim's sexual or intimate parts qualifies as a forcible touch within the meaning of penal law," wrote Judge Susan Phillips Read. Punishments for "forcible touching" charges can include up to a year of jail time.
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