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Committee advances bill to criminalize coercion that drives minors to self-harm
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Summary
The House Judiciary Committee favorably reported HR 6732, the Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act (CSAFE), after Rep. Biggs described violent online networks that coerce minors into self-harm or animal cruelty. Members raised drafting and enforcement concerns but adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute and reported the bill by voice vote.
Rep. Mr. Biggs (Representative from Arizona) introduced HR 6732, described in the markup as the Coercion and Sexual Abuse Free Environment Act of 2025 (CSAFE). Biggs told the committee that decentralized violent networks — which he called "gore groups" and cited a network referred to in his remarks as "764" — use social platforms to recruit and coerce children into producing exploitative material or engaging in violent acts, including self-harm or harm to animals.
"These violent groups... are going further to target children and force them into unthinkable acts of violence against themselves," Biggs said, urging Congress to give law enforcement tools to prosecute those who compel minors to inflict harm. He said law enforcement has opened numerous investigations and that some conduct does not fit neatly into existing criminal statutes.
The bill’s sponsor framed HR 6732 as criminalizing the act of compelling or enticing a minor to engage in self-harm resulting in death, animal crushing, or other degrading non-sexual conduct. The committee’s Ranking Member also expressed support while cautioning about rushed consideration and urging clearer definitions for potentially vague phrases to reduce risk of due-process challenges.
An amendment in the nature of a substitute that sponsors described as limited to short-title changes was adopted by voice vote. The committee then voted to report the bill favorably to the House, with staff authorized to make technical and conforming changes and members given two days to submit views.
Next steps: The bill will be reported to the House; members may submit views within two days and staff will prepare a consolidated amendment-in-the-nature-of-a-substitute for the record.
