INTRODUCTION
Have you ever imagined receiving a message from a stranger commenting on your daily routines or worse, being sent a video that appears to show you in explicit situations? These scenarios are not figments of imagination. For millions of women around the world, this frightening reality has become part of everyday life. Personal images and footage are manipulated or weaponised without their consent and then spread across the internet, causing deep emotional, social, and professional harm.
The internet has become a crucial part of modern life, used for education, professional work, communication, and countless other beneficial purposes. However, it has also increasingly been misused as a tool to harass and threaten women on social media platforms and other websites. This harmful behaviour can lead to severe psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. The pressure from family, society, and the invasion of personal life further compounds the emotional impact, deeply affecting women’s well-being and safety.
THE RISE OF DIGITAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Social media and other online platforms have become part of our daily life, and violence against women has also taken a new form. Some of the forms of violence include:
Cyberstalking
Women are tracked online through fake accounts, repeated messaging, or digital surveillance. Cyber stalkers or other offenders may misuse personal photos or personal information to threaten them.
Non-consensual Image Sharing
This involves the sharing of private photos or videos without consent. With the rise of deepfakes and edited AI images, the danger has significantly increased.
Cyber Harassment and Cyber Bullying
Women receive abusive messages, threats, and degrading comments, especially when they share their point of view on a particular topic publicly. This creates fear and affects their mental health and confidence.
Online Impersonation
Fake profiles using women’s names and pictures are created to defame, deceive, or exploit. This damages reputation and can lead to emotional distress.
LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR DIGITAL VIOLENCE
India has several laws aimed at protecting women in digital spaces.
Information Technology Act, 2000
Section 66C criminalises the fraudulent use of another person’s identity information, such as electronic signatures or passwords.
Section 66D prohibits online impersonation with the intent to cheat.
Section 66E makes it illegal to violate a person’s privacy by capturing and distributing images of their private areas without consent.
Section 67 concerns the online publication or transmission of obscene material.
Section 67A specifically addresses online content containing sexually explicit acts.
Provisions under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
Section 77 Voyeurism
This section criminalises watching, capturing, or disseminating the image of a woman engaging in a private act without her consent. Even if the woman consented to the image capture, sharing it without her explicit consent is an offence.
Punishment includes imprisonment from one to three years and a fine for a first conviction, and three to seven years with a fine for a second or subsequent conviction.
Section 78 Stalking
This provision covers both physical and cyber stalking, penalising any man who repeatedly follows a woman or monitors her internet, email, or other electronic communication despite her clear indication of disinterest.
Punishment includes imprisonment up to three years and a fine for the first offence, and up to five years with a fine for subsequent convictions.
Section 79 Word, Gesture or Act Intended to Insult the Modesty of a Woman
This section addresses acts, whether online or offline, such as obscene messages or comments or displaying explicit images, intended to intrude upon a woman’s privacy or insult her modesty.
Punishment may extend to three years of imprisonment and a fine.
Section 75 Sexual Harassment
This section includes showing pornography against the will of a woman and making sexually coloured remarks, which also applies to online interactions.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act
This is an upcoming framework that strengthens privacy rights and consent-based data use.
Together, these legal provisions aim to ensure that women can navigate the internet safely and hold offenders accountable.
REPORTING AND REMEDIES
Women can take the following steps if they face digital abuse:
File a complaint at the nearest police station or cybercrime cell
Use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in
Report abusive content directly on social media platforms
Preserve screenshots, links, timestamps, and any other evidence
Support systems such as NGOs, legal aid cells, and women’s helplines can also provide guidance and protection.
WOMEN’S DIGITAL RIGHTS MATTER
When women feel unsafe online, they are more likely to withdraw not only from digital platforms but also from physical public spaces. This withdrawal limits their freedom of expression, reduces economic opportunities, and negatively impacts their emotional and psychological well-being.
Empowering women in digital spaces is therefore essential, because when women thrive online, society progresses as a whole. Ensuring online safety is not merely a technological requirement; it is a fundamental human rights obligation.