Youths For Integrity FIJI Raises Red Flag on Sextortion

 

Youths For Integrity Fiji (YFI) has raised the alarm over the high sextortion rates recorded in the Global Corruption Barometer 2021 for Fiji and the Pacific. YFI Leaders Samu Walosio, Grace Konrote and Lati Shalom, who had formally presented the GCB findings at its November launch, explained that the culture of silence and the cultural taboos placed around healthy discussions of sexual issues could be contributing to the high rates of sextortion. 

“Corrupt people know that victims will be too ashamed to report incidents of sextortion because it is usually the words of a vulnerable girl or woman pitted against a powerful government official.”

The Youth Leaders noted that, “According to Transparency International, the sextortion rate in the Pacific is one of the highest recorded so far in any region of the world where GCB Surveys have been conducted. 38% of people surveyed in the Pacific Islands have experienced sextortion or know someone who has. A disturbing 40% think that it happens occasionally in their countries!”

The Youth Leaders explained that in sextortion, “sex becomes the currency of the bribe and people are forced into engaging in sexual acts in exchange for essential services, including health care and education. Globally, girls and women are overwhelmingly targeted for sextortion.”

The Youth Leaders noted that the GCB Pacific 2021 highlighted “that almost four in ten respondents across the region (38 per cent) have received requests from public officials that are sexual in nature in exchange for government services or benefits at least once in the past five years, or know someone who has. 

The highest rate was reported in French Polynesia, where an alarming 92% of respondents admit having experienced this form of corruption themselves or knowing someone who has. Extremely high rates of sextortion were also reported in New Caledonia (76%) and Papua New Guinea (51%). 

Much lower rates were found in Fiji (11%), Samoa (10%) and Tonga (5%). The high regional average aligns with the high rates of sexual and gender-based violence recorded in the region, which far exceed the global average.”

They said that what was disturbing was that respondents across the Pacific appeared  to find it hard to assess the extent of the problem. Only 21% think that sextortion happens often, while 37% think it happens rarely or occasionally and 24% think it never happens.

Walosio, Konrote and Shalom suggest that there is need for further investigation and community dialogue to better understand and address this shocking form of corruption. Victims especially girls and women need to report incidents where they have been propositioned into sex in exchange for essential services.”