Rooted in English common law, marital rape exemption laws prohibited husbands from being prosecuted for committing rape against their wives within the United States. This practice continued throughout the United States for centuries, as marital rape was largely ignored by society. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, the second wave of the women's movement brought national attention to the issue of violence against women, and marital exemption laws were cast in the spotlight. As a result of this attention, states slowly began to revise their laws and proscribe marital rape. By 1993, marital rape was proscribed within all 50 states.

Advancement of technology has broadened possibilities for people working in the sex industry. Specifically, sex workers’ use of online classified advertisement websites to market companionship and escort services has increased in recent years, yet research has lagged behind these developments. This study addresses the gap in research by examining female companionship advertisements on one of the most popular websites: Backpage.com . The lead author qualitatively analyzed over 1,500 advertisements to identify common themes and patterns in how escort companions were described. This study explores the type of identity claims escort companions make and how they formulate advertisements to appeal to a broad client base. Research on gendered stereotypes is used to interpret escort companions’ use of language, symbols, and photography, through covert and overt messaging. Study results revealed that women offering companion services promoted and reinforced traditional gendered stereotypes through their online advertisements. Findings may be used to understand the context of sex work.

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While both human trafficking and prostitution are characterized by the sale of sexual services, there is ongoing debate among scholars regarding the interrelationship of these two crimes. Perceptions of this relationship can be placed on a continuum that ranges from full integration, whereby it is believed that all prostitution is coerced, and thus a form of human trafficking, to full denial, whereby it is believed that voluntary prostitution does not meet the necessary requirements for the definition of human trafficking. Current legal movement throughout the globe regarding these two crimes further complicates this debate.