This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from one of Transparency International’s national chapters. The Anti-Corruption Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International and funded by the European Union.
Query
Please provide a clear definition and conceptual framing of sexual
corruption, an overview of the relevant global, regional and national
legal and institutional frameworks and good practices; and an analysis of
potential areas or sectors vulnerable to sexual corruption.
Summary
This Helpdesk Answer provides a conceptual framing of sexual corruption as the field moves beyond the earlier, widely used term sextortion. It summarises what is currently known about the scale of the problem, its sectoral patterns, and the legal and policy responses countries have adopted. In 2023, COSP Resolution 10/10 recognised sexual corruption as a form of corruption, marking an important milestone in global anticorruption efforts. Two years on, this is a good moment to take stock of progress, identify remaining gaps, and explore pathways for more effective action.
Main points
- COSP Resolution 10/10 marked a real breakthrough for both anti-corruption and gender-equality agendas, as it urges states to recognise sexual corruption as a form of corruption.
- Sexual corruption occurs when a person abuses their power to obtain sex or acts of a sexual nature in exchange for a service or benefit that is connected to the entrusted authority.
- The term “sextortion” helped expose the sexualised face of corruption, but it largely captures explicit sexual extortion. Sexual corruption is a broader, more accurate concept that reflects the multiple, often hidden ways sexual dynamics can shape corrupt exchanges.
- Data remains limited, yet surveys such as the Global Corruption Barometer, despite methodological constraints, provide essential baseline insights into the scale and distribution of the problem.
- Documented cases span service delivery, education, policing, the judiciary and migration systems. Across these settings, the pattern is similar: concentrated power, power asymmetries, populations perceived as vulnerable and weak oversight create fertile conditions for sexual corruption.
- Raising awareness of the concept itself among citizens, victims, authorities and institutions is an essential initial step for addressing sexual corruption. Effective reporting mechanisms must be gendersensitive and protective of victims, and gender mainstreaming should be systematically integrated into anticorruption strategies.
- In most jurisdictions, victims must navigate either anti-corruption laws or gender-based violence frameworks to seek justice. Each has limitations, meaning some forms of sexual corruption slip through the gaps and remain unpunished.
- Only a handful of countries, including Rwanda, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, have explicitly criminalised sexual corruption, signalling a growing recognition of the need for targeted protection. Legislative initiatives in several other countries, including Brazil, are gaining momentum as calls for criminalisation strengthen.
Authors
Maria Constanza Castro
Reviewers
Jamie Bergin
Marie Chêne
Date
16/01/2026
