10 U.S.C. § 920b — Art. 120b. Rape and sexual assault of a

Page 826 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 920a child), dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 15 years. ‘‘(5) SUBSECTIONS (h) THROUGH (j).—For an offense under subsection (h) (abusive sexual contact), sub- section (i) (abusive sexual contact with a child), or subsection (j) (indecent liberty with a child), dishon- orable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 7 years. ‘‘(6) SUBSECTIONS (k) AND (l).—For an offense under subsection (k) (indecent act) or subsection (l) (forc- ible pandering), dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 5 years. ‘‘(7) SUBSECTIONS (m) AND (n).—For an offense under subsection (m) (wrongful sexual contact) or sub- section (n) (indecent exposure), dishonorable dis- charge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and con- finement for one year.’’ [See 2011 Amendment notes above for extensive amendment of section 920 of title 10 by Pub. L. 112–81, effective 180 days after Dec. 31, 2011, and applicable with respect to offenses committed on or after such ef- fective date.] § 920a. Art. 120a. Mails: deposit of obscene matter Any person subject to this chapter who, wrongfully and knowingly, deposits obscene matter for mailing and delivery shall be pun- ished as a court-martial may direct. (Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LX, § 5431, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2951.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 920a was renumbered section 930 of this title. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with implementing regulations and provi- sions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title. § 920b. Art. 120b. Rape and sexual assault of a child (a) RAPE OF A CHILD.—Any person subject to this chapter who— (1) commits a sexual act upon a child who has not attained the age of 12 years; or (2) commits a sexual act upon a child who has attained the age of 12 years by— (A) using force against any person; (B) threatening or placing that child in fear; (C) rendering that child unconscious; or (D) administering to that child a drug, in- toxicant, or other similar substance; is guilty of rape of a child and shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. (b) SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD.—Any person subject to this chapter who commits a sexual act upon a child who has attained the age of 12 years is guilty of sexual assault of a child and shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. (c) SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD.—Any person subject to this chapter who commits a lewd act upon a child is guilty of sexual abuse of a child and shall be punished as a court-martial may di- rect. (d) AGE OF CHILD.— (1) UNDER 12 YEARS.—In a prosecution under this section, it need not be proven that the ac- cused knew the age of the other person engag- ing in the sexual act or lewd act. It is not a de- fense that the accused reasonably believed that the child had attained the age of 12 years. (2) UNDER 16 YEARS.—In a prosecution under this section, it need not be proven that the ac- cused knew that the other person engaging in the sexual act or lewd act had not attained the age of 16 years, but it is a defense in a prosecu- tion under subsection (b) (sexual assault of a child) or subsection (c) (sexual abuse of a child), which the accused must prove by a pre- ponderance of the evidence, that the accused reasonably believed that the child had at- tained the age of 16 years, if the child had in fact attained at least the age of 12 years. (e) PROOF OF THREAT.—In a prosecution under this section, in proving that a person made a threat, it need not be proven that the person ac- tually intended to carry out the threat or had the ability to carry out the threat. (f) CONSENT.—Lack of consent is not an ele- ment and need not be proven in any prosecution under this section. A child cannot consent to any sexual act, lewd act, or use of force. (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) SEXUAL ACT AND SEXUAL CONTACT.—The terms ‘‘sexual act’’ and ‘‘sexual contact’’ have the meanings given those terms in section 920(g) of this title (article 120(g)), except that the term ‘‘sexual act’’ also includes the inten- tional touching, not through the clothing, of the genitalia of another person who has not attained the age of 16 years with an intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person. (2) FORCE.—The term ‘‘force’’ means— (A) the use of a weapon; (B) the use of such physical strength or vi- olence as is sufficient to overcome, restrain, or injure a child; or (C) inflicting physical harm. In the case of a parent-child or similar rela- tionship, the use or abuse of parental or simi- lar authority is sufficient to constitute the use of force. (3) THREATENING OR PLACING THAT CHILD IN FEAR.—The term ‘‘threatening or placing that child in fear’’ means a communication or ac- tion that is of sufficient consequence to cause the child to fear that non-compliance will re- sult in the child or another person being sub- jected to the action contemplated by the com- munication or action. (4) CHILD.—The term ‘‘child’’ means any per- son who has not attained the age of 16 years. (5) LEWD ACT.—The term ‘‘lewd act’’ means— (A) any sexual contact with a child; (B) intentionally exposing one’s genitalia, anus, buttocks, or female areola or nipple to a child by any means, including via any communication technology, with an intent to abuse, humiliate, or degrade any person, or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person; (C) intentionally communicating indecent language to a child by any means, including via any communication technology, with an Page 827 TITLE 10—ARMED FORCES § 920c intent to abuse, humiliate, or degrade any person, or to arouse or gratify the sexual de- sire of any person; or (D) any indecent conduct, intentionally done with or in the presence of a child, in- cluding via any communication technology, that amounts to a form of immorality relat- ing to sexual impurity which is grossly vul- gar, obscene, and repugnant to common pro- priety, and tends to excite sexual desire or deprave morals with respect to sexual rela- tions. (Added Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, § 541(b), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1407; amended Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(a)(3), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1948; Pub. L. 114–328, div. E, title LX, § 5430(c), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2950; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title V, § 565, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1904.) Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2024—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–159 redesignated subsec. (g) as (f), struck out ‘‘not legally married to the person committing the sexual act, lewd act, or use of force’’ before ‘‘cannot consent to any sexual act’’, and struck out former subsec. (f). Prior to amendment, text of sub- sec. (f) read as follows: ‘‘In a prosecution under sub- section (b) (sexual assault of a child) or subsection (c) (sexual abuse of a child), it is a defense, which the ac- cused must prove by a preponderance of the evidence, that the persons engaging in the sexual act or lewd act were at that time married to each other, except where the accused commits a sexual act upon the person when the accused knows or reasonably should know that the other person is asleep, unconscious, or otherwise un- aware that the sexual act is occurring or when the other person is incapable of consenting to the sexual act due to impairment by any drug, intoxicant, or other similar substance, and that condition was known or reasonably should have been known by the accused.’’ Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 118–159, § 565(2), redesignated subsec. (h) as (g). Former subsec. (g) redesignated (f). 2016—Subsec. (h)(1). Pub. L. 114–328 inserted before pe- riod at end ‘‘, except that the term ‘sexual act’ also in- cludes the intentional touching, not through the cloth- ing, of the genitalia of another person who has not at- tained the age of 16 years with an intent to abuse, hu- miliate, harass, degrade, or arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person’’. 2013—Pub. L. 112–239 made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 112–81, which enacted this section. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2016 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with imple- menting regulations and provisions relating to applica- bility to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2013 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1947, provided that the amendment made by section 1076(a)(3) is effective Dec. 31, 2011, and as if in- cluded in Pub. L. 112–81 as enacted. EFFECTIVE DATE Amendment by Pub. L. 112–81 effective 180 days after Dec. 31, 2011, and applicable with respect to offenses committed on or after such effective date, see section 541(f) of Pub. L. 112–81, set out as an Effective Date of 2011 Amendment note under section 843 of this title. § 920c. Art. 120c. Other sexual misconduct (a) INDECENT VIEWING, VISUAL RECORDING, OR BROADCASTING.—Any person subject to this chapter who, without legal justification or law- ful authorization— (1) knowingly and wrongfully views the pri- vate area of another person, without that other person’s consent and under cir- cumstances in which that other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy; (2) knowingly photographs, videotapes, films, or records by any means the private area of another person, without that other person’s consent and under circumstances in which that other person has a reasonable ex- pectation of privacy; or (3) knowingly broadcasts or distributes any such recording that the person knew or rea- sonably should have known was made under the circumstances proscribed in paragraphs (1) and (2); is guilty of an offense under this section and shall be punished as a court-martial may direct. (b) FORCIBLE PANDERING.—Any person subject to this chapter who compels another person to engage in an act of prostitution with any person is guilty of forcible pandering and shall be pun- ished as a court-martial may direct. (c) INDECENT EXPOSURE.—Any person subject to this chapter who intentionally exposes, in an indecent manner, the genitalia, anus, buttocks, or female areola or nipple is guilty of indecent exposure and shall by punished as a court-mar- tial may direct. (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: (1) ACT OF PROSTITUTION.—The term ‘‘act of prostitution’’ means a sexual act or sexual contact (as defined in section 920(g) of this title (article 120(g))) on account of which any- thing of value is given to, or received by, any person. (2) PRIVATE AREA.—The term ‘‘private area’’ means the naked or underwear-clad genitalia, anus, buttocks, or female areola or nipple. (3) REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY.— The term ‘‘under circumstances in which that other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy’’ means— (A) circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that he or she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that an image of a private area of the person was being captured; or (B) circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that a private area of the person would not be visible to the public. (4) BROADCAST.—The term ‘‘broadcast’’ means to electronically transmit a visual image with the intent that it be viewed by a person or persons. (5) DISTRIBUTE.—The term ‘‘distribute’’ means delivering to the actual or constructive possession of another, including transmission by electronic means. (6) INDECENT MANNER.—The term ‘‘indecent manner’’ means conduct that amounts to a form of immorality relating to sexual impu-