Sexual assault refers to a number of different types of offences recognized under the criminal code. However, most sexual assaults can be divided between adult-on-adult sexual assault and adult-on-child sexual assault.
In the former category, the key issue of a sexual assault case may be whether there was consent to the sexual activity and, if not, whether the person charged had a reasonably held belief in consent.
In the latter category, adult-on-child sexual assault, the key issue is almost always whether there was any sexual activity in the first place.