The Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA), the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to the systemic prevention of sexual violence, announced today that its Founder and CEO, Omny Miranda Martone, submitted written testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism for the hearing “Examining the Harm of AI Chatbots” held on September 16, 2025.
In their testimony, Martone outlined how AI chatbots are engaging in sexual harassment and exploitation, particularly of children. They provided detailed explanations of harms caused by major platforms, including Meta AI, xAI’s Grok, Snapchat’s My AI, and Google Gemini. The testimony also presented technological safeguards and legislative measures to prevent these harms, concluding with concrete policy recommendations for Congress.
Sexual harassment from AI chatbots is not just a bug. These platforms are actively engaging in harmful behaviors that endanger children and normalize sexual violence. Among the harms documented in SVPA’s testimony:
- AI chatbots have repeatedly sent unsolicited sexual messages and explicit images to children.
- Bots have pressured minors into sexual roleplay or suddenly engaged in it, despite being told, “no.”
- Chatbots have engaged in violent and misogynistic sexual scenarios, such as drugging or choking roleplay, often unprompted.
- Companies have monetized exploitation by offering “premium” upgrades to access sexualized or pornographic chatbot behavior.
- AI chatbots have impersonated children in sexual contexts, normalizing pedophilia and grooming behaviors.
These harms are not isolated glitches. They represent systemic design choices, inadequate safeguards, and business models that put profit above child safety.
“AI chatbots are sexually harassing our kids. Sending explicit violent messages to children, requesting teenagers send ‘nudes’, generating CSAM, and repeatedly refusing to stop when asked- if a human did these things they would certainly be called a pedophile,” said Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of SVPA. “Already shaping how children and teens understand intimacy, consent, and safety. Right now, they are teaching dangerous lessons.”
Martone continued, “Congress has the power and the responsibility to act before another generation grows up scarred by technology that was built without protections. Survivors, families, and children are depending on lawmakers to put safety before profit.”
To prevent further harm, SVPA is urging lawmakers to act with urgency. Martone’s testimony recommends a mix of general safeguards and specific legislative actions, including:
- Explicit bans on AI chatbots that impersonate minors or sexualize children.
- Civil rights of action for victims of AI-enabled sexual harassment, giving survivors a pathway to justice.
- Stronger oversight and liability for tech companies, ensuring they cannot hide behind “free speech” claims for AI products.
- Transparency and disclaimers, requiring chatbots to clearly identify themselves as AI and provide resources when conversations turn sexual or abusive.
- Legislative action on pending bills, including:
- The AI LEAD Act, to create product liability for AI harms, including sexual abuse.
- The AI Whistleblower Act, to protect insiders who expose harms from unsafe AI technologies/services.
- The Stop CSAM Act, empowering youth victims to take action against tech companies, including AI chatbots.
- The DEFIANCE Act, to establish a civil rights of action for victims of AI-generated explicit materials (formerly known as deepfake pornography).
The SVPA’s testimony builds on its national leadership in addressing digital sexual violence. Earlier this year, the organization was a key driver behind the TAKE IT DOWN Act, the first major federal law addressing AI harms, which passed in May 2025. The SVPA hosted a roundtable in Fall of 2024 with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and actor-activist Sophia Bush about technology-facilitated abuse. Martone also spoke at the Empowering Voices Summit alongside Senator Dick Durbin. In August, Martone’s article “AI is Sexually Harassing Our Kids. Here’s How Legislators Can Stop It.” was published in Tech Policy Press, adding further momentum to SVPA’s advocacy.
You can watch the hearing here and you can read the full testimony here.
Chairman Josh Hawley speaks during the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing. Photo courtesy of CSPAN.
