The crime of assault is defined in Section 223 of the Criminal Code WA; it is an offensive or combative act. Assault is an unnecessary and unwarranted use of physical force likely to cause serious injury or death to a person. Assault is not only about inflicting injuries or damage to a person but also the seriousness of the assault itself and the fact that the assault is unnecessary and unwarranted.

Assault is generally defined in terms of physical violence: the touching of a person to cause some bodily harm. It normally includes physical force by a person to cause some bodily harm or damage to another person. However, it does not necessarily include touching dangerously or offensively. Assault is an unnecessary and unwarranted use of force likely to cause serious injury or death to another person, either directly or through an indirect or deliberate act. If an assault causes injury or damages to another person, it is an assault and is subject to the criminal code.