It is important for cyber criminals to know that just like in the real world they can be prosecuted in the virtual world too
This picture has been used for representation purpose
An awareness programme organised at a school by the Mumbai police last week helped a teenager muster the strength to speak up against harassment. An officer's moving speech at the Women Cyber Safety Week event had left the 19-year-old woman teary eyed and after being encouraged by the police she filed a complaint against her harasser — a man of her age.
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The man had threatened to morph her pictures and make them viral if she did not get intimate with him, the woman had told the JJ Marg police. A report in this paper stated how the police have conducted seminars at schools and colleges on how to beware of potential harassers on the web and how to deal with them.
All of us, especially the young, straddle two worlds today; one is the real and the other — the cyber universe. Women face tremendous harassment, intimidation, blackmail and outright threats in the cyber world. The attackers in the cyber universe get the power and courage to target women because of the anonymity the web offers. With anonymity comes supposed immunity. The way trolls target men and women are different. Women are no. 1 target on social media and the abuse and threats are often sexual in nature whenever women are involved. With men, it's usually limited to abuses, but there have been incidents where their female members — wives, daughters or mothers — are dragged into the conversation and are threatened with rape.
In such a scenario, seminars like this stand a chance to help more and more women. They must be organised regularly so that women know what action they can take against their harassers on social media. A public awareness campaign just like the efficacious one against drunk driving may also be of great benefit.
It is important for cyber criminals to know that just like in the real world they can be prosecuted in the virtual world too. It is vital that women are empowered with information about tackling online harassment and assurances that action will be taken on every credible complaint.
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