Final answer:
The term for touching someone without consent is 'Battery,' which involves intentional and unlawful physical contact, as opposed to Assault which is the threat of harm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe the act of touching a person or patient without that person's consent is Battery. In legal terms, battery is the intentional and unlawful physical contact with another person, potentially causing harm or offense. While assault is the act of threatening or attempting to inflict harm on someone, battery involves the actual physical contact. This can relate to situations of physical abuse, which may include forms of beating, kicking, or hitting. However, not all physical contact such as spanking is considered battery if it is within the realm of discipline and does not result in injury, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway.