§ 709.23

709.23 Continuous sexual abuse of a child. 1. A person eighteen years of age or older commits continuous sexual abuse of a child when the person engages in any combination of three or more acts of sexual abuse with thesame child, and at least thirty days have elapsed between the first and last acts of sexualabuse. 2. A person who commits continuous sexual abuse of a child is, upon conviction, guilty of a class 'B' felony. Notwithstanding section 902.9, subsection 1, paragraph 'b', a personconvicted of a violation of this section shall be confined for no more than fifty years. 3. If a jury is the trier of fact, members of the jury must unanimously agree that three or more acts of sexual abuse were committed with the same child and at least thirty days haveelapsed between the first and last acts of sexual abuse. The jury does not need to unanimouslyagree which specific acts were committed or the exact date when those acts were committed. 4. Any other sexual abuse offense involving the same child shall not be charged in the same proceeding as a charge under this section unless the other sexual abuse offenseoccurred outside of the time period charged under this section or the other

same child shall not be charged in the same proceeding as a charge under this section unless the other sexual abuse offenseoccurred outside of the time period charged under this section or the other sexual abuseoffense is charged in the alternative. 5. A person shall be charged with only one count under this section unless more than one child is involved in the offense. If more than one child is involved, a separate count may becharged for each child. 6. Each act of sexual abuse committed under section 709.3 shall be considered a lesser included offense to the crime of continuous sexual abuse of a child under this section. 2020 Acts, ch 1115, §4; 2020 Acts, ch 1121, §67, 70; 2023 Acts, ch 32, §1Referred to in §622.31B, 692A.101, 692A.102, 902.12, 902.14, 903B.10Subsections 1, 2, 3, and 6 amended Sat Dec 23 12:28:34 2023 Iowa Code 2024, Section 709.23 (7, 1)