Sextortion in WASH service access in Bangladesh
Risk Mechanism
Discretionary control over WASH access, reconnection, tariffs, and customer service created sextortion risks, especially where users faced water insecurity, poverty, unequal access, and weak reporting channels.
Case Summary
Merkle et al. examined sextortion in WASH service access in rural and urban Bangladesh using survey, interview, and focus group data. The study found that women in poverty, water-insecure households, and rural areas were especially vulnerable, while formal reporting remained rare.
Risk Lesson
This case illustrates how discretionary control over essential WASH services can enable non-monetary corruption when users lack safe reporting channels. It shows that integrity controls should address sexual exploitation and other coercive demands, not only cash bribes or informal payments.
Reference
Merkle, O., Allakulov, U., Gonzalez, D., Sánchez, A. H., Rabbi, S. E., & Hasan, Z. (2023). When vulnerabilities are exploited. The role of sextortion in the WASH sector in Bangladesh. Frontiers in Water, 5, 1048594. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2023.1048594