Of the 1000 Fijians surveyed by Transparency International, 11 per cent claimed they were asked for sexual favours in exchange for Government services or benefits at least once in the past five years.
The survey titled “Global Corruption Barometer — Pacific Report” was based on data collected by Tebbutt Research in Fiji between February and March this year.
The report said on the issue of sexual extortion or sextortion, sex became the currency of the bribe and people were coerced into engaging in sexual acts in exchange for essential services — including health care and education.
Respondents were asked if an official in Fiji made requests of a sexual nature in exchange for a Government service or benefits.
Fiji’s 11 per cent sextortion rate was much lower than other Pacific states, including French Polynesia, which has a 92 per cent rate.
“Despite these findings, respondents across the Pacific appear to have difficulty assessing the extent of the problem,” the report read.
“It is worth noting that around a fifth of respondents (17 per cent) say that they do not know how often sextortion occurs in their countries.
“It could point to a need for further investigation and community dialogue to better understand and address this heinous form of corruption.”
