Experts from the Legal Resources Centre have exposed how “sextortion” forces vulnerable women to choose between basic services and dignity, calling for urgent amendments to existing corruption laws to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
WATCH: Attorneys unveil the roots, impact, and solutions to sexual corruption in South Africa
In a discussion during the Human Rights Festival held at Constitution Hill on 22 March 2025, the panel highlighted the insidious issue of sexual corruption in South Africa, a form of extortion that disproportionately affects women.
The panel, comprising Sipesihle Mguga, Sheniece Linderboom and Shaatirah Baboo Hassim called for legislative changes, including amendments to the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act or the Sexual Offences Act, to better address and criminalise this pervasive issue.
Often referred to as sextortion, sexual corruption manifests when individuals in positions of power use that authority to demand sexual favours, breaking the norms of consent and dignity. Mguga clarified, "It is a form of corruption where the currency of the bribe is not money, but sex. This distinction is crucial in understanding the broader implications of sexual corruption, what many organisations are increasingly recognising as sexual corruption rather than simply extortion."
During the panel, Linderboom illustrated the difficult choices many women face, such as the harrowing case she shared of a woman waiting for an RDP house. Approached by a man who promised to expedite her place at the top of the waiting list, the woman was met with the horrific demand of a sexual favour in return. "It's choosing between basic services and your right to dignity," she lamented. The implications of such coercion highlight the urgent need for reform and increased protection for vulnerable individuals.
Further complicating this issue are the legal challenges faced by women who kill their abusers in self-defence. Linderboom pointed out that the existing laws only protect women if there is an immediate threat present, often leaving victims vulnerable and misunderstood. She recounted chilling stories illustrating how survivors of domestic abuse have faced severe legal repercussions despite defending themselves against persistent trauma and terror.
"Our law doesn't consider the trauma of the years of abuse," Linderboom remarked, sharing her distress over the long-term consequences of such cases on families. The conversation turned towards the need for supporting organisations such as the Centre for Applied Legal Studies in advocating for legal changes to protect these women better. She referred to the case of a woman who was jailed for seven years for killing her abusive husband in retaliation.
Mguga echoed these sentiments, stating, "Our current anti-corruption framework failed to protect that woman," referring to the RDP case. She emphasised that current legislation criminalises both the person seeking help and those abusing their power, creating a chilling effect that discourages women from coming forward.
Hassim added another layer to the discussion, making a call for sensitivity training workshops for those in the judiciary and law enforcement. "People don't know what the justice system looks like when they report abuse," she stressed, advocating for widespread education to empower women and dismantle the cultural normalisation of abuse.
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