Abusive sexual contact
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
(a) Sexual Conduct in Circumstances Where Sexual Acts Are Punished by This Chapter. Whoever, in the or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, knowingly engages in or causes sexual contact with or by another person, if so to do would violate—
(1) subsection (a) or (b) of section 2241 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be , imprisoned not more than ten years, or both;
(2) section 2242 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be , imprisoned not more than three years, or both;
(3) subsection (a) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be , imprisoned not more than two years, or both;
(4) subsection (b) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be , imprisoned not more than two years, or both;
(5) subsection (c) of section 2241 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be and imprisoned for any term of years or for life; or
(6) subsection (c) of section 2243 of this title had the sexual contact been a sexual act, shall be , imprisoned not more than two years, or both; [1]
(b) In Other Circumstances. Whoever, in the or in a Federal prison, or in any prison, institution, or facility in which persons are held in custody by direction of or pursuant to a contract or agreement with the head of any Federal department or agency, knowingly engages in sexual contact with another person without that other person's permission shall be , imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
(c) Offenses Involving Young Children. If the sexual contact that violates this section (other than subsection (a)(5)) is with an individual who has not attained the age of 12 years, the maximum term of imprisonment that may be imposed for the offense shall be twice that otherwise provided in this section.
History: (Added Pub. L. 99–646, §87(b), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3622 (PDF, 5.1 MB), and Pub. L. 99–654, §2, Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3661; amended Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7058(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4403 (PDF, 56 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 105–314, title III, §302, Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2979; Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, §1177(a)(5), (b)(2), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3125; Pub. L. 109–248, title II, §§206(a)(2), 207(2), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 613, 615; Pub. L. 110–161, div. E, title V, §554, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2082; Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title XII, §1202(d), Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 925.)
1 So in original. The semicolon probably should be a period.
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to knowingly engage in or cause sexual touching (sexual contact) in situations where a full sexual act would be a crime under sections 2241, 2242, or 2243. It is also a crime to engage in any sexual contact with someone without their permission. This applies in federal areas and in federal prisons or federally contracted detention facilities.