What is the difference between assault and battery?

Whitney S. Boan Protecting Your Right

Video Transcript

While you hear the term “assault” used a lot to reference things that are actually batteries; an assault is where you may make a threat or there’s a perceived threat of eminent physical harm occurring, but nothing physical ever happens. Where as a battery involves actual touching and intentional touching that’s against the will of another: intentional and actual touching.

An assault doesn’t even require that somebody be touched. It just requires that someone be in fear of eminent danger occurring to them based upon a credible threat.