---
title: O.C.G.A. § 17-5-70. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 17-5-70
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 17-5-70 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-5-70
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-5-70.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-5-70/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t17-(v15)-2020-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=8c04ccfe_0#page=346
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/17-5-56.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE / SEARCHES AND SEIZURES / INVESTIGATING SEXUAL ASSAULT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 17-5-70. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) ‘‘Forensic medical examination’’ means an examination by a health care provider of a person who is a victim of a sexual assault. Such examination shall include a physical examination, documentation of biological and physical findings, and collection of physical evidence from the victim.

(2) ‘‘Investigating law enforcement agency’’ means the law enforcement agency responsible for the investigation of the alleged sexual assault.

(3) ‘‘Sexual assault’’ means rape, sodomy, aggravated sodomy, statutory rape, child molestation, aggravated child molestation, sexual assault against a person in custody, sexual assault against a person detained in a hospital or other institution, sexual assault by a practitioner of psychotherapy against a patient, incest, bestiality, sexual battery, and aggravated sexual battery as those terms and offenses are set forth and defined in Chapter 6 of Title 16.

## History

Code 1981, § 17-5-70, enacted by Ga. L. 2008, p. 486, § 3/HB 1297.