“The sexual contract” is used in two senses. First, to refer to the book The Sexual Contract (1988) and to Anglo‐American societies. The book provides a feminist interpretation of classic theories of an original contract, showing that it has two dimensions, the social contract and a sexual contract, and that the familiar marriage contract and employment contract have been shaped by ideas in the texts. Much has changed today, including marriage law and the economy, but many components of the sexual contract still persist. The second sense refers to the general domination of women by men in any society. The sexual contract is enforced in a variety of forms ranging from legal sanction for powers of husbands to prevention of women earning a living. Men's government of women is one of the most deeply entrenched of all power structures.