Tex. Codes » Penal Code · TITLE 5. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON · CHAPTER 21. SEXUAL OFFENSES

Tex. Penal Code § 21.18

Sexual Coercion

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Sec. 21.18. SEXUAL COERCION. (a) In this section:

(1) "Intimate visual material" means the visual material described by Section 21.16(b)(1) or (c).

(2) "Sexual conduct" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.25.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally threatens, including by coercion or extortion, to commit an offense under Chapter 43 or Section 20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8), 21.02, 21.03, 21.08, 21.11, 21.12, 21.15, 21.16, 21.17, 22.011, or 22.021 to obtain, in return for not committing the threatened offense or in connection with the threatened offense, any of the following benefits:

(1) intimate visual material;

(2) an act involving sexual conduct causing arousal or gratification; or

(3) a monetary benefit or other benefit of value.

(c) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally threatens, including by coercion or extortion, to commit an offense under Chapter 19 or 20 or Section 20A.02(a)(1), (2), (5), or (6) to obtain, in return for not committing the threatened offense or in connection with the threatened offense, either of the following benefits:

(1) intimate visual material; or

(2) an act involving sexual conduct causing arousal or gratification.

(d) This section applies to a threat regardless of how that threat is communicated, including a threat transmitted through e-mail or an Internet website, social media account, or chat room and a threat made by other electronic or technological means.

(e) An offense under this section is a state jail felony, except that the offense is a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has previously been convicted of an offense under this section.

Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 858 (H.B. 2552), Sec. 16(c), eff. September 1, 2017.

Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 4(b), eff. September 1, 2017.

Amended by:

Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 557 (H.B. 1422), Sec. 20, eff. September 1, 2025.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1982–2020 · leading case: Oliva v. State
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Oliva v. State (2018) texcrimapp “31(c); Tex. Agric. Code §§ 161.041(e), 161.141(a), 167.”
Bernal v. State (1982) texapp “On reading the testimony during the hearing, we find that appellant Nuncio’s counsel asked whether the State had “anything in their files which would show the results of an investigation of the reputation in regard to this complaining Witness [sic] .”
State v. Trenton Kyle Green (2020) texapp “06(g)(1) (increases to first-degree felony with a minimum of twenty-five years’ imprisonment); TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 21.17(c) (increases from class C to class B misdemeanor); TEX.”
— Tex. Penal Code § 21.18(e) — 2 cases
Oliva v. State (2018) texcrimapp “31(c); Tex. Agric. Code §§ 161.041(e), 161.141(a), 167.”
State v. Trenton Kyle Green (2020) texapp “06(g)(1) (increases to first-degree felony with a minimum of twenty-five years’ imprisonment); TEX. PENAL CODE ANN. § 21.17(c) (increases from class C to class B misdemeanor); TEX.”
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