Age of Consent
Sex Education Required by State
Sex Education Type
Medically Accurate Content Required
LGBTQ+ Inclusive
Consent Education Taught
Adult Entertainment
Iowa's age of consent is 16. State law includes a close-in-age exemption: sexual activity between a minor who is at least 13 and a partner no more than five years older falls under reduced criminal classification. Iowa Code Section 709.4 governs sexual abuse in the third degree.
Sex education is required in Iowa schools. Instruction must encourage abstinence, though contraception and STI prevention may be discussed. There is no requirement for medical accuracy in a comprehensive sense, no LGBTQ+ inclusion mandate, and no requirement to teach consent. The framework is abstinence-plus in that some reproductive health content is permitted, but the educational emphasis remains on abstinence as the preferred choice for minors.
Iowa's adult entertainment environment is moderate. Des Moines and other urban areas have adult entertainment businesses regulated through local ordinances. The state has not pursued aggressive anti-adult-entertainment legislation. The overall posture is mid-tier restrictive, with standard licensing and zoning controls.
Sex ed required. Abstinence encouraged but contraception may be discussed.
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In the News
- Bill proposes expanding ban on gender and sexuality materials in schools to all grades - Iowa Capital DispatchJan 21
- Ending the stigma and sparking change: How to talk to your friends and family about comprehensive sex education - Planned Parenthood Action FundOct 26
- Let's talk about sex — or not. How Iowa's book ban law is impacting sex education. - The Des Moines RegisterOct 21
- Republican bill requires Ohio public schools to annually show video on fetal development - The Statehouse News BureauSep 30
- An important piece is missing from the reproductive freedom debate: comprehensive sex education - Minnesota ReformerOct 7
Full Iowa profile
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Sources: NCSL, Guttmacher Institute, SIECUS State Profiles, Wikipedia "Ages of consent in the United States". Laws change — verify current status with official sources.