What Are Some of the Criteria for Filing Assault Charges

My question involves criminal law for the state of: Virginia

This is my first time posting and I have a (hopefully) simple question. I was recently punched in the face and chest, kicked in the chest, slapped, and clawed at by my now ex-girlfriend, and though she only left minor scratch marks, a small bruise, and some noticeable redness on the side of my face, does this constitute assault and battery? These were not by any means "love taps," she was hitting me as hard as she possibly could.

Furthermore, we live in the same building on the campus of the college which we both attend, and she has had the police come to my room to take back her things as well as had them find me on my way to class to question me. This is making me look bad and is putting the notion in both my roomates heads and the heads of random people on campus that I am a criminal. This is a secondary question, but is this grounds for a defamation of character charge? Any advice or help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

If you want to press charges for a battery, go to the police, report what happened, answer their questions, and see if they and a prosecutor deem your report sufficient to justify the filing of charges.