Final answer:
Threatening to touch a person's body without their consent constitutes assault, which involves creating a fear of imminent harm, while battery involves actual physical contact.
These terms are important in the context of sexual harassment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Threatening to touch a person's body without their consent is known as assault. Assault refers to the act of intentionally placing another person in fear of imminent harm, which includes threatening physical harm. In contrast, battery involves the actual physical contact with another person without their consent, which can result in physical harm.
These legal concepts are significant in understanding and addressing issues related to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes sexually-based behavior that is knowingly unwanted and adversely affects an individual's employment status, interferes with job performance, or creates a hostile or intimidating work environment.