Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last updated June 20, 2016
All states have rape and sexual assault laws, which basically make it illegal for a person to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual acts with a person who doesn't give consent or can't give consent. In Iowa, rape and sexual assault are called "sexual abuse."
The Iowa Code defines sexual abuse generally, and then divides it into different degrees of sexual abuse. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the sexual abuse, a person will be guilty of committing sexual abuse in the first degree, second degree, or third degree. Iowa classifies all sexual abuse crimes as felonies; however, the actual class of the felony and the penalties vary depending on the degree of the sexual abuse.
The following table is a quick summary of Iowa's rape and sexual assault laws.
Code Sections |
Iowa Code Annotated § 709.1, Sexual Abuse Defined. |
What is Prohibited? |
Sexual abuse occurs when one person engages in a sex act with another person in any of the following circumstances:
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Penalty |
The penalty for sexual abuse depends on whether it's sexual abuse in the first degree, second degree, or third degree.
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You can visit FindLaw's section on Sex Crimes for more information and articles on this topic. If you or someone close to you is facing a rape or sexual assault charge, it's in your best interest to contact a local sex crimes attorney.
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