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Have You Been Physically Assaulted?
The word "assault" means different things in different areas, where we are from it consists of everything from throwing a punch to acting in a threatening nature or blocking one's path and not allowing a person to pass.
However, just because it's technically an assault to the letter of the law, does not mean that is how it will be criminally charged. Without a physical assault with fists or a weapon of some sort, resulting in bruises or that sort of thing, it will likely be charged as a lesser offense than assault. Still, a criminal charge is a criminal charge and can work in your favor. It will work even better if it is not the first such offense against your assailant.
If you are dealing with a person suffering from some mental illness, as opposed to just being a jerk, take all confrontations seriously. If you know this person is a jerk, but not violent, don't let it get the best of you, don't strike first or strike back, and keep an eye out for people watching what is going on.
Obviously, if the confrontation is of a serious physical nature, the gloves are off, you have no choice but to protect yourself.
Self Defense
Many areas have a very nebulous idea of what legitimate self defense can consist of by using the phrase "reasonable force" as an acceptable means to defend yourself.
In a very quick, flyover view, "reasonable force" means that you used the exact amount of force that was necessary to bring the situation to a close. "Excessive force" is the phrase used to describe if you bring a gun to a knife fight, so to speak. If somebody is simply shouting at you, and you break their arm, it would be considered excessive force.
Laws are worth checking in your area as it pertains to self defense, however, at the end of the day, you simply need to defense yourself. If you feel threatened, do what you have to do to get safe, and worry about fallout later.
The Up Side
If there is a good side to being assaulted, it's that it virtually guarantees you a no contact order as part of the criminal sentence, without an actually filing from you. If you do need to file, and, your filing for it in many jurisdictions will be free as the victim of a crime.
Therefore, in hoping the assault is very minor and results in no bruises, wounds, pain or anything of that nature, it will make your quest for a restraining order much easier.
As someone trained in self defense, I will say this, if you are in danger, disable your opponent as quickly as possible. The best targets are eyes, throat and groin. Self defense training is not only a great way to learn to take care of yourself, but great exercise as well. The hardest thing about self defense is getting over the human instinct to not want to hurt somebody else, you have to. 98% of the population has a natural human instinct to not want to hurt people, the other 2% are mentally ill and simply don't have that instinct of compassion or empathy.
