Sextortion Survey and Public Perception
The 2nd Step:
Listening
Sextortion is a pervasive yet under-researched form of corruption that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, particularly women and marginalized groups. SP2 of the SaferGov project is dedicated to collecting and analyzing data from public surveys, with the goal of shedding light on how sextortion infiltrates public service delivery systems. By gathering real-life experiences and perspectives, SP2 aims to build a comprehensive understanding of the scale and impact of sextortion in various public sectors.
What We’re Investigating:
SP2 focuses on several key areas:
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Incidence of Sextortion: How often are individuals asked for sexual favors in exchange for accessing basic public services like healthcare, education, or justice?
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Public Perception: How do people perceive sextortion compared to other forms of corruption? Is it recognized as a serious issue, or is it underreported due to stigma or fear of retaliation?
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Gaps in Service Delivery: Are certain public sectors or regions more susceptible to sextortion? What institutional weaknesses allow this form of corruption to persist?
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Impact on Marginalized Groups: How do gender, economic status, and ethnicity shape one's vulnerability to sextortion? What can be done to protect those who are most at risk.
Current Status
The SP2 survey is currently active, reaching out to diverse populations across various sectors. By collecting firsthand accounts from victims and those working within public service, we aim to build a body of evidence that highlights the urgent need for reforms.
Our data collection focuses on:
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Anonymous Reporting: Protecting the identity of respondents to ensure honest and uninhibited feedback.
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Inclusive Survey Design: Ensuring that questions are tailored to capture the experiences of those most affected by sextortion, including women, ethnic minorities, and economically disadvantaged communities.
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Regional Focus: The survey covers multiple regions, allowing us to compare how sextortion manifests in different cultural, political, and economic contexts.
What's Next
Once data collection is complete, we will begin an in-depth analysis of the responses to:
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Identify Policy Gaps: Where are the weaknesses in current anti-corruption policies that allow sextortion to continue?
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Develop Targeted Interventions: Based on the survey results, we will recommend specific policy actions and interventions to combat sextortion in vulnerable areas.
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Support Advocacy Efforts: The findings will be used to raise awareness and support advocacy campaigns aimed at driving legal and institutional reforms.
As we move forward with this project, the insights from SP2 will not only inform future policy recommendations but also contribute to a broader understanding of sextortion as a critical governance issue. These findings will be essential in shaping targeted interventions that address the root causes of sextortion and work toward more transparent, ethical public service delivery systems.
Stay tuned for updates, including survey results, publications, and policy recommendations, which will be posted here as the project progresses.