Opinions vs. The Law
We all have opinions when it comes to offenses and how people should be held accountable. But the law is written for a reason—to separate our emotions and personal feelings from facts.
For years, I’ve provided security for a well-known restaurant in Atlanta. On March 15, 2025, an unfortunate incident happened that sparked a lot of opinions, but when it came down to it, no law was broken.
Here’s what happened: A female guest, for reasons unknown, decided to use the men’s restroom. As most of us know, weekends are busy for restaurants, bars, and movie theaters, and long lines for the restrooms are common. The restrooms at this location have doors that lock from the inside. However, the men’s restroom door, if pulled hard enough, sometimes pops open.
A male guest, who is a regular, went to use the men’s restroom. He found the door locked but gave it a hard pull, and it opened. Inside was the female guest, already using the facility. This restroom only has one toilet—no urinal. Instead of apologizing and exiting, the male guest decided to relieve himself in the sink.
Now, let’s look at the law in Georgia—O.C.G.A. § 16-6-22.1(b)—which covers sexual battery. It states:
“A person commits the offense of sexual battery when he or she intentionally makes physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another person without the consent of that person.”
The law defines “intimate parts” as the genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, or buttocks of a male or female, and the breasts of a female.
For someone to be charged with sexual battery, two things must be proven:
- Nonconsensual physical contact
- That contact involved intimate parts of the body
In this case, what happened was wrong and inappropriate. I don’t support the male guest’s actions—he should have apologized and left the restroom. However, there was no physical contact and no touching of intimate parts. That means no crime was committed under Georgia law.
Both the female guest and restaurant management felt the male guest should have been arrested. But feelings and opinions don’t dictate the law. What we personally think should happen doesn’t always line up with what the law allows.
This situation is a reminder: our opinions may feel justified, but when it comes to legal matters, the law is what matters most.
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