28 C.F.R. § 115.6

Definitions related to sexual abuse

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For purposes of this part, the term—

Sexual abuse includes—

(1) Sexual abuse of an inmate, detainee, or resident by another inmate, detainee, or resident; and

(2) Sexual abuse of an inmate, detainee, or resident by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer.

Sexual abuse of an inmate, detainee, or resident by another inmate, detainee, or resident includes any of the following acts, if the victim does not consent, is coerced into such act by overt or implied threats of violence, or is unable to consent or refuse:

(1) Contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus, including penetration, however slight;

(2) Contact between the mouth and the penis, vulva, or anus;

(3) Penetration of the anal or genital opening of another person, however slight, by a hand, finger, object, or other instrument; and

(4) Any other intentional touching, either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or the buttocks of another person, excluding contact incidental to a physical altercation.

Sexual abuse of an inmate, detainee, or resident by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer includes any of the following acts, with or without consent of the inmate, detainee, or resident:

(1) Contact between the penis and the vulva or the penis and the anus, including penetration, however slight;

(2) Contact between the mouth and the penis, vulva, or anus;

(3) Contact between the mouth and any body part where the staff member, contractor, or volunteer has the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire;

(4) Penetration of the anal or genital opening, however slight, by a hand, finger, object, or other instrument, that is unrelated to official duties or where the staff member, contractor, or volunteer has the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire;

(5) Any other intentional contact, either directly or through the clothing, of or with the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or the buttocks, that is unrelated to official duties or where the staff member, contractor, or volunteer has the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire;

(6) Any attempt, threat, or request by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer to engage in the activities described in paragraphs (1) through (5) of this definition;

(7) Any display by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer of his or her uncovered genitalia, buttocks, or breast in the presence of an inmate, detainee, or resident, and

(8) Voyeurism by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer.

Sexual harassment includes—

(1) Repeated and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal comments, gestures, or actions of a derogatory or offensive sexual nature by one inmate, detainee, or resident directed toward another; and

(2) Repeated verbal comments or gestures of a sexual nature to an inmate, detainee, or resident by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer, including demeaning references to gender, sexually suggestive or derogatory comments about body or clothing, or obscene language or gestures.

Voyeurism by a staff member, contractor, or volunteer means an invasion of privacy of an inmate, detainee, or resident by staff for reasons unrelated to official duties, such as peering at an inmate who is using a toilet in his or her cell to perform bodily functions; requiring an inmate to expose his or her buttocks, genitals, or breasts; or taking images of all or part of an inmate's naked body or of an inmate performing bodily functions.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 32 cases (26 in the last 5 years), 2013–2026 · leading case: Earl Johnson, Jr. v. Richard Robinette, 105 F.4th 99 (4th Cir. 2024).
Earl Johnson, Jr. v. Richard Robinette, 105 F.4th 99 (4th Cir. 2024). · cites it 3× “” 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 . In addition to direct forms of sexual contact and penetration, “[s]exual abuse” by a staff member includes “[a]ny other intentional contact, either directly or through the clothing, of or with the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or the…”
Samantha Vazquez v. Cnty. of Kern, 949 F.3d 1153 (9th Cir. 2020). “” 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 . 22 VAZQUEZ V. COUNTY OF KERN inflict constitutional harm.”
John Does 8-10 v. Rick Snyder, 945 F.3d 951 (6th Cir. 2019). “See 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 . The incidents alleged in the Plaintiffs’ complaint and grievances plainly meet this definition.”
United States v. Carlos Perez-Perez, 737 F.3d 950 (4th Cir. 2013). · cites it 2× “2, at 32 (Summer/Fall 1994); David Finkelhor, The Prevention of Childhood Sexual Abuse, The Future of Children, Vol.”
James Ingerson v. Andrew Pallito, Comm'r, Vermont Dep't of Corr. & Leanne Salls, 2019 VT 40 (Vt. 2019). “§§ 30301-30309 (outlining federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)); 28 C.F.R. §§ 115.6 - 115.93 (defining sexual contact perpetrated by staff against incarcerated individual “with or without [inmate’s] consent” as “sexual abuse” and outlining “zero tolerance [policy] toward…”
In re the Arbitration between Bukowski, 148 A.D.3d 1386 (N.Y. App. Div. 2017). “Respondents contend that Bukowski’s conduct constituted the sexual abuse of an inmate *1389 by a correction officer within the meaning of the Act, and that the Act’s implementing regulations make termination the presumptive disciplinary penalty for such conduct (see 28 CFR 115.6…”
Bagley (N.D.N.Y. 2026). · cites it 2× “” 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 . The Second Circuit has not squarely addressed “exhaustion requirements and PREA grievances when sexual assaults are at issue alongside with non-sexual misconduct.”
Gilberto DeJesus v. Sergeant Willie J. Lewis (11th Cir. 2021). “See 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 (7)–(8) (adopting a broad definition of sexual abuse that violates PREA); National Standards To Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape, 76 FR 6248 -01, 2011 WL 318532 , at *6250–51 (Feb.”
In re the Arbitration between Bukowski, 148 A.D.3d 1386 (N.Y. App. Div. 2017). “Respondents contend that Bukowski’s conduct constituted the sexual abuse of an inmate *1389 by a correction officer within the meaning of the Act, and that the Act’s implementing regulations make termination the presumptive disciplinary penalty for such conduct (see 28 CFR 115.6…”
(PC) Carthen v. Scott (E.D. Cal. 2023). “” 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 . 12 Additionally, PREA was enacted, at least in part, to address concerns regarding 13 violations of the Eighth Amendment.”
(PC) Richard v. Joseph (E.D. Cal. 2023). “3d at 1144 ; see also 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 (defining, for purposes of the 5 Prison Rape Elimination Act, “sexual abuse of an inmate” as “[a]ny other intentional touching, 6 either directly or through the clothing, of the genitalia.”
(PC) Rojas v. Cnty. of Sacramento (E.D. Cal. 2023). “” (quoting 28 C.F.R. § 115.6 )). “The threshold question is 3 whether the behavior of the governmental officer is so egregious, so outrageous, that it may fairly 4 be said to shock the contemporary conscience.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.