A brief review of rape law notes that a man can be charged with wife rape even while the couple is living together in 22 States and the District of Columbia. Spouse rape is not a crime in 24 States. The paper describes the landmark Rider case tried in Florida in which a jury found William Rider guilty of raping his wife and a judge sentenced him to 14 years in prison. The verdict was upheld on appeal, dealing a death blow to Hale's ruling. The author discusses three key points in the spousal rape debate: how far can the government push its way into the marital bedroom, how much should a jury know of a woman's sexual history, and whether Hale's ruling is going to be struck down forever. He predicts that spousal rape eventually will be accepted as a crime nationwide. 5 references. (Publisher abstract modified)