Ravenna is a city in Portage County, Ohio with a population of approximately 11,000 residents. Prostitution and sex trafficking have been documented in the city and other areas of Portage County. For example, in April 2013 two people were arrested and charged with prostitution, promoting prostitution, and drug offenses. Portage County Sheriff’s Office and Portage County Drug Task Force members learned that a woman was soliciting herself on Backpage.com in the Ravenna, Newton Falls, and Youngstown area, and responded by conducted a sting operation.

Among the means used to address the local commercial sex market have been efforts to reduce demand for paid sex. At least one reverse sting has been conducted in the city. In 2006, the Ravenna Police Department and the Portage County Drug Task Force responded to community complaints about prostitution by conducting a reverse sting that resulted in the arrest of four male sex buyers. The names, ages, and street addresses of the arrestees were released to the media.