Legal Definitions - Molestation

Definition: Molestation is a crime that involves sexual acts with minors. This can include touching private parts, exposing genitalia, taking pornographic pictures, rape, and encouraging sexual acts with the molester or other children. It can also include incest by a relative with a minor family member and any sexual acts that are not rape.

For example, in the case of Abshire v. State, a Texas Court of Appeals case, an uncle was convicted of molesting his niece from the time she was five years old until she was seventeen. He sexually contacted and raped her during this time. This case is an example of how molestation can involve a range of sexual acts with minors, including rape and incest.