Sexual Abuse Act of 1986
PL 99-654 (H.R.4745), enacted 11/14/1986

100 STAT. 3660 
PUBLIC LAW 99-654—NOV. 14, 1986 
Public Law 99-654 
99th Congress 
Nov. 14, 1986 
[H.R. 4745] 
Sexual Abuse 
Act of 1986. 
18 u s e 2241 
note. 
18 u s e 2241. 
Drugs and drug 
abuse. 
Alcohol and 
alcoholic 
beverages. 
An Act 
To amend title 18, United States eode, with respect to sexual abuse. 
c 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
i s b 
This Act may be cited as the "Sexual Abuse Act of 1986". 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SEXUAL ABUSE OFFENSES. 
Title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chap-
ter 109 the following new chapter: 
"CHAPTER 109A—SEXUAL ABUSE 
"Sec. 
"2241. Aggravated sexual abuse. 
"2242. Sexual abuse. 
"2243. Sexual abuse of a minor or ward. 
"2244. Abusive sexual contact. 
"2245. Definitions for chapter. 
"§ 2241. Aggravated sexual abuse 
"(a) BY FORCE OR THREAT.—Whoever, in the special maritime and 
territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal 
prison, knowingly causes another person to engage in a sexual act— 
"(1) by using force against that other person; or 
"(2) by threatening or placing that other person in fear that 
any person will be subjected to death, serious bodily injury, or 
kidnaping; 
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for 
any term of years or life, or both. 
(b) BY OTHER MEANS.—Whoever, in the special maritime and 
territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, 
knowingly— 
"(1) renders another person unconscious and thereby engages 
in a sexual act with that other person; or 
"(2) administers to another person by force or threat of force, 
or without the knowledge or permission of that person, a drug, 
intoxicant, or other similar substance and thereby— 
"(A) substantially impairs the ability of that other person 
to appraise or control conduct; and 
"(B) engages in a sexual act with that other person; 
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for 
any term of years or life, or both. 
(c) WITH CHILDREN.—Whoever, in the special maritime and terri-
torial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, 
knowingly engages in a sexual act with another person who has not 
atteined the age of 12 years, or attempts to do so, shall be fined 
under this title, imprisoned for any term of years or life, or both. 
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' PUBLIC LAW 99-654—NOV. 14, 1986 
100 STAT. 3661 
"(d) STATE OF MIND PROOF REQUIREMENT.—In a prosecution under 
subsection (c) of this section, the Government need not prove that 
the defendant knew that the other person engaging in the sexual act 
had not attained the age of 12 years. 
"§ 2242. Sexual abuse 
18 use 2242. 
"Whoever, in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of 
the United States or in a Federal prison, knowingly— 
"(1) causes another person to engage in a sexual act by 
threatening or placing that other person in fear (other than by 
threatening or placing that other person in fear that any person 
will be subjected to death, serious bodily injury, or kidnaping); 
• 
or 
"(2) engages in a sexual act with another person if that other 
person is— 
"(A) incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct; or 
"(B) physically incapable of declining participation in, or 
communicating unwillingness to engage in, that sexual act; 
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not 
more than 20 years, or both. 
"§ 2243. Sexual abuse of a minor or ward 
18 use 2243. 
"(a) OP A MINOR.—Whoever, in the special maritime and terri-
torial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, 
knowingly engages in a sexual act with another person who— 
"(1) has attained the age of 12 years but has not attained the 
age of 16 years; and 
"(2) is at le£ist four years younger than the person so 
engaging; 
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not 
more than five years, or both. 
"(b) OF A WARD.—Whoever, in the special maritime and terri-
torial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, 
knowingly engages in a sexual act with another person who is— 
"(1) in official detention; and 
"(2) under the custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority 
of the person so engaging; 
or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not 
more than one year, or both. 
"(c) DEFENSES.—(1) In a prosecution under subsection (a) of this 
section, it is a defense, which the defendant must establish by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant reasonably be-
lieved that the other person had attained the age of 16 years. 
"(2) In a prosecution under this section, it is a defense, which the 
defendant must establish by a preponderance of the evidence, that 
the persons engaging in the sexual act were at that time married to 
each other. 
"(d) STATE OF MIND PROOF REQUIREMENT.—In a prosecution under 
subsection (a) of this section, the Government need not prove that 
the defendant knew— 
"(1) the age of the other person engaging in the sexual act; or 
"(2) that the requisite age difference existed between the 
persons so engaging. 
"§ 2244. Abusive sexual contact 
18 use 2244. 
"(a) SEXUAL CONDUCT IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SEXUAL ACTS ARE 
PUNISHED BY THIS CHAPTER.—Whoever, in the special maritime and 
100 STAT. 3662 
' PUBLIC LAW 99-654—NOV. 14, 1986 
territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal prison, 
knowingly engages in or causes sexual contact with or by another 
i person, if so to do would violate— 
"(1) section 2241 of this title had the sexual contact been a 
sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more 
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than five years, or both; 
"^Q rm. 
"(2) section 2242 of this title had the sexual contact been a 
sexual act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more 
V
. 
than three years, or both; 
./ 
"(3) subsection (a) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual 
contact been a sexual act, shall be fined under this title, impris-
oned not more than one year, or both; or 
"(4) subsection (b) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual 
1* 
contact been a sexual act, shall be fined not more than $5,000, 
imprisoned not more than six months, or both. 
f 
"(b) IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.—Whoever, in the special maritime 
and territorial jurisdiction of the United States or in a Federal 
prison, knowingly engages in sexual contact with another person 
*
. without that other person's permission shall be fined not more than 
$5,000, imprisoned not more than six months, or both. 
18 use 2245. 
"§ 2245. Definitions for chapter 
. 
"As used in this chapter— 
"(1) the term prison' means a correctional, detention, or 
penal facility; 
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"(2) the term 'sexual act' means— 
"(A) contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis 
18 nO' ju and the anus, and for purposes of this subparagraph contact 
involving the penis occurs upon penetration, however 
J. -, ,o- ,>, slight; 
"(B) contact between the mouth and the penis, the mouth 
and the vulva, or the mouth and the anus; or 
"(C) the penetration, however slight, of the anal or geni-
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1 
tal opening of another by a hand or finger or by any object, 
with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or 
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arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person; and 
"(3) the term sexual contact' means the intentional touching, 
either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, 
groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person with an 
^,, 
intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify 
the sexual desire of any person; 
"(4) the term 'serious bodily injury' means bodily injury that 
involves a substantial risk of death, unconsciousness, extreme 
physical pain, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or pro-
tracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, 
organ, or mental faculty. 
(5) the term 'official detention' means— 
^ ., :i' 
"(A) detention by a Federal officer or employee, or under 
. , 
the direction of a Federal officer or employee, following 
arrest for an offense; following surrender in lieu of arrest 
for an offense; following a charge or conviction of an of-
fense, or an allegation or finding of juvenile delinquency; 
following commitment as a material witness; following civil 
commitment in lieu of criminal proceedings or pending 
3i 
resumption of criminal proceedings that are being held in 
'jfit^. i •;/ ^ abeyance, or pending extradition, deportation, or exclusion; 
:,f 
or 
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PUBLIC LAW 99-654—NOV. 14, 1986 
100 STAT. 3663 
"(B) custody by a Federal officer or employee, or under 
the direction of a Federal officer or employee, for purposes 
incident to any detention described in subparagraph (A) of 
this paragraph, including transportation, medical diagnosis 
i'- <'' 
or treatment, court appearance, work, and recreation; 
Lfp>h . but does not include supervision or other control (other than 
custody during specified hours or days) after release on bail, 
probation, or parole, or after release following a finding of 
a 
juvenile delinquency.". 
r SEC. 3. CONFORMING AND RELATED AMENDMENTS. 
a 
(a) OTHER TITLE 18 AMENDMENTS.—Title 18, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking out chapter 99; 
18 USC 2031, 
, ^ 
(2) in subsection (a) of section 113 by striking out "or rape"; 2032. 
(3) in subsection (b) of section 113 by striking out "rape" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "a felony under chapter 109A"; 
(4) in subsection (a) of section 1111 by striking out ", rape" 
iD# 
and inserting in lieu thereof "aggravated sexual abuse or sexual 
abuse"; 
(5) in section 1153— 
Ante, p. 438. 
(A) in the first paragraph, by striking out "rape, involun-
tary sodomy, carnal knowledge of any female, not his wife, 
who has not attained the age of sixteen years, assault with 
intent to commit rape," and inserting in lieu thereof "a 
felony under chapter 109A,"; and 
Ante, p. 3660. 
(B) in each of the second and third paragraphs, by strik-
ing out", involuntary sodomy,"; 
(6) in paragraph (12) of section 3185 by striking out "Rape;" 
and inserting in lieu thereof "A felony under chapter 109A of 
this title;"; and 
(7) in the table of chapters at the beginning of part I— 
(A) by striking out the item relating to chapter 99; and 
(B) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 109 the 
following new item: 
"109A. Sexual Abuse 
2241". 
(b) NON-TITLE 18 PROVISIONS.—(1) The Public Health Service Act 
is £miended— 
(A) in section 1904(aXl)(G) (42 U.S.C. 300w-3(aKlXG)) by strik-
ing out "rape victims and for rape prevention" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "victims of sex offenses and for prevention of sex 
offenses"* and 
(B) in section 1905(c)(6) (42 U.S.C. 300w-4(cX6)) by striking out 
"rape" and inserting "sex offense" in lieu thereof. 
(2) The heading of title VI of the Mental Health Systems Act is 94 Stat. 1602. 
amended by striking out "RAPE" and inserting "SEX OFFENSE" 
in lieu thereof. 
(3) The heading for section 601 of the Mental Health Systems Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9511) is amended by striking out "RAPE" and inserting 
"SEX OFFENSE" in lieu thereof. 
(4) Section 601(a) of the Mental Health Systems Act (42 U.S.C. 
9511(a)) is amended by striking out "Rape" and inserting "Sex 
Offenses" in lieu thereof. 
(5) Section 601(aXl) of the Mental Health Systems Act (42 U.S.C. 
9511(aXl)) is amended-
100 STAT. 3664 
PUBLIC LAW 99-654—NOV. 14, 1986 
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking out "the act of rape" and 
; 
inserting "sex offenses" in lieu thereof; 
• 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking out "rape" and inserting 
t 
"a sex offense" in lieu thereof; and 
(C) by striking out "rape" each place it appears other than in 
^*' subparagraphs (B) and (E) and inserting "sex offenses" in lieu 
thereof. 
J 
(6) Section 601(aX3) of the Mental Health Systems Act (42 U.S.C. 
9511(aX3)) is amended by striking out "rape" each place it appears 
and inserting "sex offenses" in lieu thereof. 
(7) Section 601(e) of the Mental Health Systems Act (42 U.S.C. 
^ 9511(e)) is amended by striking out "rape" the first place it appears 
and inserting "sex offense" in lieu thereof. 
. i^i :.«•) • 
(8) Section 902(k)(l) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amend-
ed (49 U.S.C. App. 1472(kXl)), is amended by striking out "2031, 
* 2032" and inserting in lieu thereof "chapter 109A". 
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
18 use 2241 
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 
"o*e- 
30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
•' 
Approved November 14, 1986. 
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LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4745: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 99-594 (Comm. on the Judiciary). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 132 (1986): 
May 12, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 18, considered and passed Senate.