HR6732-119

What This Bill Does

The Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act amends 18 U.S.C. 2422 by adding a new offense for unlawfully compelling children. A person commits the offense if, using the mail, an interstate or foreign commerce facility, or federal special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, the person intentionally compels a minor to engage in specified harmful acts.

Covered acts include self-harm, including suicide or attempted suicide; animal crushing as defined in federal law; abusive or degrading nonsexual conduct that can be charged as a criminal offense; and sexually explicit conduct. Attempts and conspiracies are covered. The penalty is a fine, up to 10 years imprisonment, or both. If serious bodily injury results, the maximum increases to 20 years. If death results, the penalty can be any term of years or life imprisonment. "Compel" includes threats, extortion, blackmail, fraud, and similar coercive conduct.

Who Benefits and How

Minors vulnerable to online coercion benefit from a federal offense aimed at coercive schemes that push them into self-harm, sexual exploitation, or degrading criminal abuse. Justice Department prosecutors benefit from clearer charging authority under section 2422. FBI child exploitation staff benefit because conduct using interstate communications falls squarely within federal jurisdiction. Families of coerced minors benefit from a stronger criminal-law response when serious injury or death results. Child safety advocates benefit from penalties that escalate with harm.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Individuals who coerce minors into harmful conduct face new federal criminal liability, attempt and conspiracy exposure, fines, and imprisonment. Federal public defender staff must litigate the new offense, including the meaning of compel and covered conduct. Federal court staff must handle prosecutions and sentencing under the new penalty structure. Justice Department prosecutors must prove interstate-commerce or federal-jurisdiction elements and intentional compulsion. Online abusers face higher enforcement risk when threats, blackmail, extortion, or fraud are used against minors.

Key Provisions

• Creates a new federal offense for intentionally compelling minors into specified harmful acts.
• Requires a federal jurisdiction hook through the mail, interstate or foreign commerce facilities, or federal jurisdiction.
• Provides covered conduct categories including self-harm, animal crushing, abusive or degrading criminal conduct, and sexually explicit conduct.
• Expands liability to attempts and conspiracies.
• Establishes a baseline penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.
• Tightens penalties to a 20-year maximum when serious bodily injury results.
• Provides any term of years or life imprisonment when death results.
• Defines compel to include threat, extortion, blackmail, fraud, and similar coercion.