Australian women and corruption: The gender dimension in perceptions of corruption

The relationship between corruption and potential determinants of corruption has been of increasing interest due to a greater understanding of the cost of the phenomenon and the ongoing movement towards improved governance. The literature on corruption suggests that a range of factors may be significant in whether or not an individual engages in criminal and/or corrupt behaviour. This paper offers some preliminary analysis focusing on the influence of one variable, gender. By drawing on an empirical study, the paper examines the possible relationship between gender and perceptions of corruption within Australia. It suggests that, in general, Australian women appear to be less tolerant of corrupt scenarios than their male counterparts, although gender difference was not automatic across all scenarios. The results suggest that there may indeed be a gender dimension with respect to perceptions of corruption.