20.16 Abusive Sexual Contact—General (18 U.S.C. § 2244(a))

Comment

The offenses defined in 18 U.S.C. §§ 2241, 2242, and 2243 as sexual abuse become abusive sexual contact under 18 U.S.C. § 2244 if there was not a “sexual act” but there was “sexual contact.” Those terms are defined in § 2246(2) and (3). Accordingly, when it is necessary to instruct a jury on abusive sexual contact, the appropriate sexual abuse instruction should be used with “sexual contact” substituted for “sexual act.”

Section 2244 does not make it a crime to attempt sexual contact.