Women, Crime, and the Internet

The incidents happening on internet media suggest that those committing crimes against women are either not afraid of breaking cybercrime laws or are unaware of them.

The Reality of Cybercrime

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"(Manusmriti 2.126)"Knowledge bestows humility; from humility, one gains worthiness and respect."

Whenever an incident occurs, it often leads to public outrage, and this is evident from the increased awareness on social media. However, this highlights a significant difference: being literate and being digitally literate are two separate things. Now, the need for digital literacy has become more critical than ever.

Judicial Insights

Recently, the Bombay High Court delivered an important judgment stating that any written words on email or internet media that could undermine a woman's dignity constitute a crime. Under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (which deals with insults to the modesty of women), a case can be registered against the offender. The High Court refused to dismiss a case against a man in this context. While internet media is a platform for vocal expressions against crimes, it is also becoming a major cause of such crimes against women.

Impact of Social Media on Women

The adverse effects of incidents involving women are clearly visible on internet media. Across the country, people are eager to display insensitivity towards such incidents, even to the extent of ridiculing them. This dual aspect of social media—where we demand justice on one hand and where the same platform becomes a medium for crime—paints a grim picture.

Concerns of Privacy and Sensitivity

The real concern is when the privacy of a victim is violated by making her personal information public on social media. Sharing or forwarding her pictures online, as was seen in the Kolkata incident, where the court had to order the removal of images, raises serious questions about our understanding and responsibility. By the time corrective actions are taken, the damage is often done.

When a victim’s picture appears online, instead of sympathy, society sometimes reacts with mocking emojis. This behavior raises alarms about the direction in which our society is heading. Discussions typically shift from seeking justice to commenting on the victim's appearance, revealing a disturbing change in the definition of civility in modern society.

Legal and Social Challenges

Article 15 of the Constitution grants the right to equality. While we are familiar with the theoretical aspect of this right, its practical application remains questionable. According to the “Violence Online in India” report, every second, a woman in India becomes a victim of cybercrime. This report also states that nearly 50% of women in urban areas are forced to endure online abuse. These figures are alarming. What used to happen on the streets is now rampant on social media platforms. If we compare the data, we find that over 63% of users on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter) are men, while Instagram has 53% male users. Even on Facebook, only 40% of users are women.

The Harsh Reality

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, women's participation on social media was relatively low. According to a cybercrime survey, 15% of women admitted that people online had asked them for sexual favors. Approximately 8.5% of women reported being shown obscene content without their consent. Moreover, 13% of women have faced sexual harassment on social media, and 8% have endured mental harassment for posting online.

The Growing Threat

These figures don't stop here. In acts of revenge, women's pictures have been tampered with and uploaded to pornographic sites. Six percent of women found their photos and videos on such sites, while 8% reported that their pictures were edited and used elsewhere. These survey results are eye-opening.

Whenever an incident involving a woman surfaces, we rightly express our outrage on social media. However, when these same platforms become the cause of crimes against women, it becomes a matter of serious concern. Society needs to understand and learn how to behave responsibly on internet media.

Source : News and Internet Media