It is an offence to use offensive language in or near (or within hearing from) a public place or a school in New South Wales, under section 4A Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW). This offence may be dealt with by way of a fine only (penalty notice) which will not result in a criminal conviction if paid.
(1) A person must not conduct himself or herself in an offensive manner in or near, or within view or hearing from, a public place or a school. Maximum penalty: 6 penalty units or imprisonment for 3 months.
If you swear at a cop, then, you could receive an on-the-spot fine, or even be arrested and taken to a police station. If that happens, you may end up in court, and – worst case scenario – end up imprisoned for as long as six months.
Offensive language is the offence of using language in a way which could cause offence to a reasonable person in, near, or within hearing or view of a public place or school. This offence is a “contextual” offence and must be considered by the Court on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances.
Offensive language is a crime that is charged when someone uses foul or offensive language. It is most commonly used either where a person has verbally abused police, or along with other more serious charges. In NSW, offensive language carries a maximum penalty of a fine of six penalty units.
The maximum penalty for offensive language is a fine of up to $660. Instead of a fine, the court may choose to impose a community correction order requiring community service work. The maximum penalty for offensive conduct is a fine of up to $660 or a prison sentence of up to three months.
Verbal abuse involves using words to name call, bully, demean, frighten, intimidate, or control another person. This can include overt verbal abuse such as yelling, screaming, or swearing. Such behaviors are attempts to gain power, and the goal is to control and intimidate you into submission.
Offensive language vs. abuse. There exists a key difference between offensive and abusive language: abusive language has a strong component of intentionality; the definition of offensiveness has more emphasis on lexical content and the receiver's emotional response.
Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.
“Inappropriate language” is a broad term that covers many things like coarse joking, using cuss words, name-calling, exclusion, etc. When thinking about how to best support a student, getting clarity about the problem is key.
If you are a suspect, or have been arrested in relation to an offence, the police may ask you to participate in a police interview. Remember that you have the right to remain silent and do not have to answer any questions that the police may ask. There is no such thing as an 'off the record' discussion with police.
For the most part, it will depend on the local laws in your state and city and the temperament of the police officer in question. Some jurisdictions do have laws against disorderly conduct or creating public disturbances. Swearing at police officers or making rude gestures could be violations of these laws.
Strict liability offences are offences which do not require proof that you intended to commit the crime – for example, speeding, drink driving and drug driving.
It's important to understand that if you find a particular behaviour offensive, humiliating or intimidating, and it relates to your sex, race, age or any of the listed elements, then it is harassment. It doesn't matter how the harasser or anyone else perceives the behaviour.
Verbal abuse can be a criminal offence if it is classified as “intimidation” under the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007 with penalties of up to 5-years imprisonment or a $5,500 fine. It can also be considered “offensive language” resulting in a $660 fine.
The offence of murder in New South Wales
Murder is an offence under section 18 of the Crimes Act 1900 which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Threatening you or your property, yelling, and using insulting or offensive language can all qualify as verbal harassment. In general, harassment refers to repeated behavior rather than a passing remark. Victims of verbal harassment can suffer from significant emotional distress and even develop mental health problems.
If you've asked someone to stop calling you a name and they've ignored your request, they're being verbally abusive. Example: While an abuser might scream out harsh words like “worthless” or “idiot” during an argument, even supposedly playful nicknames and insults can be abusive if they're hurtful.
Abusive language is extremely rude and insulting. He was alleged to have used abusive language. Synonyms: insulting, offensive, rude, degrading More Synonyms of abusive.
Name-Calling, Swearing, and Criticism
If your partner drops f-bombs, or continuously magnifies your shortcomings in a way that attacks your character, it may be a sign they're trying to disempower you.
A verbally abusive relationship can cause a person to become plagued with depression, the gradual development of introversion, mood swings, lowered self-esteem, misplaced guilt, isolation, loneliness, and posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD (Lommen & Ehlers, 2014; Malenka & Deisseroth, 2014; Sullivan, 2018).