Gender and underestimating vulnerability to grassroots corruption: Time to revisit the methodological toolbox

Studies on vulnerability to grass-roots corruption overwhelmingly suggest that gender either does not matter or that men are disproportionately targeted. This is at odds, however, with the recognition that experiences with grass-roots corruption are often gendered in such a way that leaves women more vulnerable, and that women are more likely to face distinct forms of corruption—like sexual corruption or “sextortion”. This chapter explores this tension by drawing on insights from new research on the gender and corruption nexus, attempts to measure sexual corruption rates, and on measuring vulnerability to bribery. Collectively, these new insights make clear that the standard methodological toolbox has likely grossly underestimated the degree to which women are vulnerable to grassroots corruption. It concludes with thoughts on how the field can grow its methodologies to address limitations and calls for researchers to explicitly recognise the multi-layered power structures that underpin corruption patterns. Doing so stands to deepen our understanding into why grassroots corruption is gendered.