I would look at smaller startups that might make it easy to just escalate to the CEO if you have a good explanation, rather than having an HR department stop you right away.
EDIT: I thought assault meant physical violence, but not harm while battery meant harm. I was wrong I guess?
"The legal definition of assault is an intentional act that gives another person reasonable fear that they'll be physically harmed or offensively touched. No physical contact or injury has to actually occur, but the accused person must have intentionally acted in a way to cause that fear."
https://vindicatelaw.com/assault-vs-battery-are-they-the-sam...