Sexual corruption, informal networks and female entrepreneurship: evidence from Burkina Faso

Sexual corruption occurs when public officials abuse their power to obtain sexual favours. It is a hugely damaging yet understudied form of corruption that predominantly affects women and vulnerable people. This article studies the impacts of sexual corruption on female entrepreneurs. With the utilisation of an inductive approach – specifically, thematic analysis – and focus groups of female entrepreneurs in Burkina Faso, the findings show that sexual corruption is a significant threat that female entrepreneurs face. Predatory male civil servants make sexual demands when women are most desperate and at risk of financial ruin. Sexual corruption is facilitated by corrupt male-dominated informal networks. This is exacerbated by the direct physical contact required for most entrepreneurial activities. The focus group participants identified several ways in which the risk of sexual corruption might be reduced. These included reducing physical contact between civil servants by promoting e-governance and encouraging female-led associations.