North Carolina General Statutes 14-27.20. Definitions
The following definitions apply in this Article:
(1) Repealed by Session Laws 2018-47, s. 4(a), effective December 1, 2018.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 14-27.20
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(1a) Against the will of the other person. – Either of the following:
a. Without consent of the other person.
b. After consent is revoked by the other person, in a manner that would cause a reasonable person to believe consent is revoked.
(2) Mentally incapacitated. – A victim who due to any act is rendered substantially incapable of either appraising the nature of his or her conduct, or resisting the act of vaginal intercourse or a sexual act.
(2a) Person who has a mental disability. – A victim who has an intellectual disability or a mental disorder that temporarily or permanently renders the victim substantially incapable of appraising the nature of his or her conduct, or of resisting the act of vaginal intercourse or a sexual act, or of communicating unwillingness to submit to the act of vaginal intercourse or a sexual act.
(3) Physically helpless. – Any of the following:
a. A victim who is unconscious.
b. A victim who is physically unable to resist an act of vaginal intercourse or a sexual act or communicate unwillingness to submit to an act of vaginal intercourse or a sexual act.
(4) Sexual act. – Cunnilingus, fellatio, analingus, or anal intercourse, but does not include vaginal intercourse. Sexual act also means the penetration, however slight, by any object into the genital or anal opening of another person’s body. It is an affirmative defense that the penetration was for accepted medical purposes.
(5) Sexual contact. – Any of the following:
a. Touching the sexual organ, anus, breast, groin, or buttocks of any person.
b. A person touching another person with their own sexual organ, anus, breast, groin, or buttocks.
c. A person ejaculating, emitting, or placing semen, urine, or feces upon any part of another person.
(6) Touching. – As used in subdivision (5) of this section, means physical contact with another person, whether accomplished directly, through the clothing of the person committing the offense, or through the clothing of the victim. (1979, c. 682, s. 1; 2002-159, s. 2(a); 2003-252, s. 1; 2006-247, s. 12(a); 2015-181, s. 2; 2018-47, s. 4(a); 2019-245, ss. 5(a), 6(c).)