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Fighting Sexual Corruption in Public Services: Lessons from Women's Experiences in Brazil

Forattini, Fernando orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-8431-8555, Gillanders, Robert orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-9462-0005, Connolly, Regina orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-3196-2889, Aja-Eke, Doris orcid logoORCID: 0000-0001-8711-3320 and Leme, Ednilse (2025) Fighting Sexual Corruption in Public Services: Lessons from Women's Experiences in Brazil. In: Gillanders, Robert and Garcia-Rodriguez, Giovanna, (eds.) Anti-Corruption Policy for Female Empowerment and Gender Equality. Palgrave Macmillan.

Abstract
This chapter examines the phenomenon of sexual corruption, where access to public services is conditioned on sexualized compliance. Sexual corruption, which predominantly targets women, imposes a unique violation of personal dignity and autonomy, leaving victims with few avenues for redress due to stigma, institutional disbelief, and fear of retaliation. Drawing on qualitative data from focus groups with women engaged in Brazil's public healthcare system, the chapter explores how sexual corruption operates not as isolated misconduct, but as a structural condition embedded in everyday service delivery. Sexual corruption is shown to thrive across multiple sectorsincluding healthcare, law enforcement, and education-facilitated by systemic impunity and discretionary institutional cultures. Sexual corruption disproportionately affects women from lower-income or peripheral areas, who are perceived as less informed or less protected. The chapter argues for reframing sexual corruption as both a failure of governance and a critical gender justice issue. This framing enables the development of effective anti-corruption policies that move beyond individual punishment to address the institutional cultures that allow sexual corruption to persist.
Metadata
Item Type:Book Section
Refereed:Yes
Subjects:Business > Economic policy
Computer Science > Information technology
Social Sciences > Political science
Social Sciences > Public administration
Social Sciences > Gender
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > DCU Business School
Publisher:Palgrave Macmillan
Official URL:https://ssrn.com/abstract=5502939
Copyright Information:Authors
Funders:Dr. Forattini gratefully acknowledges that this publication has emanated from research conducted with the financial support of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland under Grant number 13/RC/2094_2. Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expresse
ID Code:31553
Deposited On:22 Sep 2025 08:43 by Fernando Forattini . Last Modified 22 Sep 2025 08:43
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