This course explains how the law treats intimate partner sexual assault (IPSA) in the United States. Historically, legal systems treated sexual violence within relationships differently than assaults by strangers. Over time, laws have changed, but legal and cultural misunderstandings still affect how these cases are investigated and prosecuted. Modern law recognizes that consent applies within relationships just as it does outside them. Understanding the legal framework surrounding IPSA is an important step toward improving awareness, accountability, and justice.