In most states it is a criminal offense (statutory rape) to have sexual intercourse with a person under the age of consent—which is usually between 16 and 18 years of age. These laws are premised on the belief that a person under the age of consent is not capable of giving informed consent to sexual intercourse—even if the person was a willing participant.

Statutory rape may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor offense or as a felony offense—depending on the state’s laws and the ages and circumstances of the sexual activity. Statutory rape laws are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

But many states recognize a defense to such a criminal offense if the persons engaged in the sexual activity were close in age—within three years, for example—provided the persons were at least 14 years of age, for example. These laws are sometimes called Romeo-and-Juliet laws, and are generally located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Iowa, the age of consent is 16 years old, which means that individuals under this age are not legally capable of consenting to sexual activity. Engaging in sexual intercourse with someone under the age of consent can result in charges of statutory rape. Iowa law categorizes statutory rape under the umbrella of sexual abuse and the severity of the offense can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on factors such as the ages of the individuals involved and the circumstances of the act. Iowa does have a 'Romeo and Juliet' law, which provides a close-in-age exemption. This exemption typically applies when the individuals involved in the sexual activity are within a certain age range of each other, and both are above a minimum age, usually set at 14 or 15. The close-in-age exemption is designed to prevent the prosecution of individuals who engage in consensual sexual activities when they are close in age to each other and one or both are below the age of consent.