Molestors

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who engage in improper or unwanted physical contact or harassment, often involving abuse or exploitation; people who perpetrate acts of molestation or disturbing interference in various contexts; those who commit offenses by violating personal boundaries through inappropriate touching or behavior
2. Persons who habitually or unlawfully intrude upon others through physical or sexual misconduct, causing distress or harm; offenders who engage in unwanted or improper closeness or handling of another individual; actors involved in acts of sexual or physical violation against consent
3. Characters who impose themselves physically in an unwelcome or illegal manner, especially through sexual abuse or harassment; people responsible for infringing on the safety and personal space of others by unwanted contact; individuals known for committing violations involving forceful or inappropriate touching

Etymology: "Molestors" is the plural of "molestor," a nonstandard variant of "molester," the form most dictionaries record. The root is the verb "molest," which came into English through Old French "molester" from Latin "molestare," meaning to trouble or annoy. That Latin verb comes from "molestus," troublesome, which is probably related to "moles," a heavy mass or burden. The original sense was closer to weighing someone down than to any specific kind of abuse. The narrower meaning of molesting someone through physical interference developed later, as the verb moved from general annoyance toward sexual or physical harm. The "-er" ending is an English agent suffix that marks a person who performs the action, and it replaced the older "-or" spelling.

Synonyms: abusers, assailants, offenders, perpetrators, harassers

Antonyms: protectors, defenders, victims