Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act
Key claim: The CSAFE Act of 2025 establishes a new federal crime for compelling a minor to engage in animal crushing, self-harm, obscene speech, sexually explicit conduct, or abusive nonsexual conduct, and allows federal adult prosecution of offenders aged 13 or older when specified criteria are met.
Abstract
(HR6732 · 119th Congress) Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act of 2025 or the CSAFE Act of 2025 This bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for compelling a minor to engage in certain acts: animal crushing, self-harm, obscene speech, sexually explicit conduct, or abusive or degrading nonsexual conduct. An offense, or an attempt or conspiracy to commit an offense, is punishable by a fine, prison term, or both. Additionally, in the case of an offense committed by a minor who is at least 13 years of age, the bill allows the minor to be prosecuted as an adult in federal court if certain criteria are met (e.g., possession of a firearm during the offense). Latest action (2026-01-13): Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Why this matters
The CSAFE Act would expand federal criminal law into a category of minor-coercion conduct not squarely covered by existing trafficking or CSAM statutes, giving prosecutors a tool against a broader range of exploitation including self-harm and animal-cruelty coercion. At the same time, its authorization to try offenders as young as 13 as adults in federal court raises significant juvenile-justice and due-process questions that civil rights advocates and prosecutors are likely to contest. The practical effect on minors — both as victims protected by the new offense and as defendants potentially exposed to adult federal prosecution — is a central point of contention.