Alberta Basic Security Training (ABST) Practice Exam 2025

What constitutes an assault in legal terms?

1. Threatening someone verbally

2. Applying force to another person intentionally

3. Accidental touching during a conversation

4. Staring aggressively at someone

The correct answer is: Applying force to another person intentionally

In legal terms, assault is defined as the intentional application of force to another person without their consent. This means that for an act to qualify as assault, the individual must intentionally exert force, regardless of whether it results in injury. This can include any form of physical contact that is meant to harm or intimidate, which is why the act of applying force deliberately constitutes assault. The other options do not meet the legal definition of assault. Threatening someone verbally, while potentially alarming, does not involve physical contact and may fall under other forms of threats or intimidation but not assault. Accidental touching during a conversation does not imply intent and is typically not viewed as assault since it is an unintended action. Staring aggressively at someone, although it may create a feeling of intimidation, does not involve any physical force being applied, thus also not qualifying as assault. Hence, the correct understanding of assault hinges on the intentionality and the application of force, which aligns perfectly with the selected answer.