Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 45 - Public Welfare last revised: Nov 19, 2024
§ 411.6 - Definitions related to sexual abuse and sexual harassment.

For the purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:

Sexual abuse means—

(1) Sexual abuse of a UC by another UC; and

(2) Sexual abuse of a UC by a staff member, grantee, contractor, or volunteer.

Sexual abuse of a UC by another UC 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 a UC by a staff member, grantee, contractor, or volunteer includes any of the following acts, with or without the consent of the UC:

(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, grantee, 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, grantee, contractor, or volunteer has the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire;

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

(7) Any display by a staff member, grantee, contractor, or volunteer of his or her uncovered genitalia, buttocks, or breast in the presence of a UC; and

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

Sexual harassment includes—

(1) Repeated and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or verbal comments, gestures, phone calls, emails, texts, social media messages, pictures sent or shown, other electronic communication, or actions of a derogatory or offensive sexual nature by one UC towards another; and

(2) Repeated verbal comments, gestures, phone calls, emails, texts, social media messages, pictures sent or shown, or other electronic communication of a sexual nature to a UC by a staff member, grantee, 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, grantee, contractor, or volunteer means an invasion of privacy of a UC by a staff member, grantee, contractor, or volunteer for reasons unrelated to official duties, such as inappropriately viewing a UC perform bodily functions or bathing; requiring a UC to expose his or her buttocks, genitals, or breasts; or recording images of all or part of a UC's naked body or of a UC performing bodily functions.

authority: 42 U.S.C. 15607 (d)
source: 79 FR 77789, Dec. 24, 2014, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 45 CFR 411.6