Groping

«Monsieur le commissaire»; Images galantes et esprit de l'etranger (“Gallant images and spirit of the foreigner“) (1905)

A man makes an unwanted sexual advance on a woman

A sign outside of a bicycle parking lot in Chiba, Japan, warns "Beware of groping".

Groping is intentionally touching someone else sexually, sometimes without that person's consent. Generally, the term has a negative connotation. In some countries, certain forms of groping count as sexual assault. Most countries consider it unacceptable behaviour.

Note that if the other person wants to be touched, for example for a massage, or other sexual activity, this is not groping. A doctor touching the body as part of a medical examination is also not groping. Areas of the body most frequently groped include the buttocks, breasts, vulva and thighs on a woman, and the penis, testicles and buttocks on a man. Gropers might use their hands, but pressing any part of their body against another person can be considered groping.

The practice that customs officials touch other people in a search, for example at airports, is controversial. Usually, there are rules of how a person is to be searched. Very often, people are searched by officials of the same sex.

Groping is often shown in pornographic movies.