This bill, known as the "Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act," aims to enhance federal protections against child exploitation by modifying existing provisions in title 18 of the United States Code. It specifically targets offenses related to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and illicit sexual conduct involving minors, seeking to close loopholes and strengthen enforcement mechanisms. One significant change expands the definition of kidnapping under section 1201 to include instances where a person is obtained through defrauding or deceiving another individual. Furthermore, for victims under 16 years of age, the bill clarifies that consent is not a valid defense , unless the offender can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that they reasonably believed the victim was 16 or older. The bill also introduces a new offense under section 2243(f), criminalizing the intentional touching, not through clothing, of the genitalia of a person under 16 in federal jurisdictions, when done with abusive intent. It amends section 2241(c) to broaden its applicability from "crosses a State line" to "travels in interstate or foreign commerce," making this change retroactive. Several amendments to section 2244 explicitly address attempts to commit sexual abuse offenses , ensuring they are subject to the same penalties as completed offenses. The bill also broadens the scope of prohibited illicit sexual conduct under section 2423(f)(1) by changing "a sexual act" to "any conduct involving," thereby encompassing a wider range of harmful behaviors.