Do you know the feeling? When your entire being shrinks to the size of a pea; your memories retreat from the edges of your body until the very essence of you is neatly packaged and tucked away; you begin to dissociate from your physical self. It’s the feeling that follows when someone discards your personhood and reduces you to an object to selfishly take whatever they want from your body. It’s the feeling of quickly moving to preserve and protect yourself, unthinking, reflexive. I know the feeling because like so many other women, I’ve experienced it before. I have been victim of cybercrime and I bet you were too. I didn’t report it because I was technologically- a retard. I thought whatever is happening to me is because of my own reasons. Somehow like a dumbass I was trying to fit karma theory in it.
This write-up is for all the lovely ladies out there who are literate enough to run the company but are illiterate when it comes to digital rights. This is a high time that the authorities should change their motto to- Beti bachao, beti padhao.. beti ko tech-savy banao!
Women should not feel the need to be risk-averse in relationships, fearing revenge-porn post breakups. Purchasing clothes should not come pegged with the advice to check for two-way mirrors or mobile phones which detect hidden cameras. What women face online is a digital rendering of experiences they deal with in real life, made infinitely worse by the permanent nature of the internet, ‘memories’ that are retrievable if one knows where to look.
Any viral sexually explicit video is not a scandal. It is a sex crime.
BE BOLD, THE LAW WILL BACK YOU!
But for filing such cases which police station should I run to? Will they laugh at me for asking to report such ‘trivial’ case?
Here is how you can respond to the cybercrime:
Complaint to cyber cell
File a complaint in cyber cell by registering a written complaint to the immediate cyber cell in the city. The Information Technology Act categorically provides that a cybercrime has global jurisdiction, meaning that the crime may be reported in the Cyber Crime Units of any city, irrespective of the place where the act was committed.
At the time of filing of the complaint, the person reporting the crime may also be required to provide their name, contact details and mailing address along with the application, which is to be addressed to the Head of the Cyber Crime Cell of the city.
(FYI: To constitute documentary evidence it is always better to take screenshot of offensive content with time stamp and use laptop for applying time stamp)
File FIR in local police station
In case of non-availability of cyber-cells in the city, one can file a F.I.R. in the local police station and if Daroga-saheb denies to write the complaint, one can directly complaint to the commissioner or judicial magistrate of the city.
Offences covered by the Indian Penal Code may also be reported at a local police station by lodging a First Information Report. Under Section 154 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, every police officer, under the law, is bound to record the complaint or information pertaining to an offence, irrespective of the jurisdiction in which the offence was committed.
Also, after filing FIR for speedy investigation one can directly approach cyber cell with a copy of FIR.
Report at cybercrime.gov.in
This portal caters to complaints pertaining to online child pornography/ child sexual abuse material/sexually explicit content such as rape, gang rape.
Complaint reported on this portal are dealt by respective police authorities of states/UTs
Option for anonymous reporting of content has been provided
Report at ‘SHE-BOX’ (sexual harassment electronic box)
The online complaint management system SHE-BOX is hosted on the website of the Women and Child Development Ministry.
Once a complaint is submitted to the ‘SHE-BOX’, it will be directly sent to the internal complaints committee (ICC) of the ministry/department/PSU/autonomous body etc concerned, having jurisdiction to inquire into the matter.
Dear beautiful women, don’t be scared to raise your voice against those who bully you. Let them know that you will use their tools to punish them.
Beware creeps. The world is watching.
