Hercules, lets sum up:
1) Violence can mean things other than physical violence*
2) Assault in English common law and the vast majority of statutes does not require physical contact. But it does require an immediate threat of violence (bizzarely not in my state but might not pass scrutiny see my second footnote).
3) In some cases non-physical violence can be a violation of a law OTHER than assault (such as OSHA regs), but generally require repeated and habitual non-physical acts to be considered violence.
Can we agree on this? (that its reality, not that you like or approve of it).
*now that I think about it, that makes a ton of sense. The code of conduct where I work states "physical violence". Why would it include the word "physical" if all violence is
physical. And I've seen that phrase elsewhere going back decades "physical violence".
**(2nd footnote).
https://casetext.com/statute/new-me...-3-assault-and-battery/section-30-3-1-assault
See definition C for assault.
C. the use of insulting language toward another impugning his honor, delicacy or reputation.
Whoever commits assault is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.
So, actually in New Mexico you can be guilty of assault for an insult. This law is not a new woke thing, it was enacted in 1963.