The criminal offense of sexual assault generally involves forced sexual intercourse, sodomy, or other sexual penetration of another person—against the person’s will and without the person’s consent.

Sexual assault laws vary from state to state, and in some states the traditional criminal offense of rape is defined as the criminal offense of sexual assault. In some states the touching, groping, or pinching of the body of another person without the person’s consent and for purposes of sexual gratification is defined as sexual assault—and in other states such nonconsensual sexual contact is defined as the criminal offense of sexual battery or forcible touching, for example.

Sexual assault and related criminal offenses are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Iowa, sexual assault is covered under the state's criminal code, specifically in Chapter 709 of the Iowa Code, which addresses sexual abuse. Sexual abuse in Iowa includes not only forced sexual intercourse but also any sex act committed by force or against the will of the other party. This can include a range of behaviors from penetration to any sexual contact done for the purpose of sexual gratification without consent. Iowa law recognizes different degrees of sexual abuse, with the severity of the charge often depending on factors such as the use of force, whether a weapon was involved, the age of the victim, and the perpetrator's relationship to the victim. The term 'sexual battery' is not specifically used in Iowa statutes, but the behaviors typically associated with sexual battery would fall under the broader category of sexual abuse in Iowa law. It is important for individuals to understand that consent is a key element in these offenses, and lack of consent can result from a variety of circumstances, including when a victim is incapacitated or otherwise unable to give consent.