Which term means an unjustified attempt or threat to touch someone?

• A. Assault
• B. Battery
• C. Harassment
• D. Coercion

Answer: (A)

Assault is an intentional act or threat that places another person in apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact, even if no actual contact occurs. In healthcare, touching someone without proper consent or justification can constitute assault because the patient might reasonably fear that contact is about to happen. The key idea is the fear of imminent contact, not whether contact actually occurs. This differentiates assault from battery, which requires actual physical contact. Harassment involves ongoing or repeated unwanted behavior, not just a single threat to touch, and coercion centers on using threat or force to compel someone to act. So the described concept—an unjustified threat or attempt to touch—best fits assault.