At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on December 9, 2025, Chairman Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa addressed the growing concerns about child exploitation online and the changing tactics of offenders. Grassley noted that technological advancements have made it easier for offenders to access and share child exploitation material through file-sharing platforms, websites, and secret groups.
He described how modern offenders are “more violent, cruel and shocking than offenders just 20 years ago.” Grassley said these individuals often use extortion, blackmail, and manipulation—known as “sextortion”—to pressure children into harmful acts that may be livestreamed or recorded.
Grassley emphasized that today’s offenders target increasingly younger victims, including children as young as five or six. He also highlighted the long-term impact on victims and their families: “They leave families of victims in insufferable pain and despair, and cause a lifetime of recovery for many victims.”
The senator outlined legislative proposals aimed at addressing gaps in current law. The Ending Coercion of Children and Harm Online Act (ECCHO Act) targets groups that coerce children into violence or self-harm. The Stop Sextortion Act seeks to hold those who engage in sextortion accountable under existing laws covering child sexual abuse material.
Grassley also pointed out that sentencing for these crimes often falls short. “Less than one-third of cases are sentenced within the current sentencing guidelines,” he stated. To address this issue, he introduced the Sentencing Accountability for Exploitation Act (SAFE Act), which would require the United States Sentencing Commission to update guidelines by considering factors such as use of encryption or participation in online groups.
“This bill will provide the much-needed guidance for the United States Sentencing Commission to overhaul the child sexual abuse material guidelines in a meaningful way to distinguish offender behavior,” Grassley concluded.
