PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM DIGITAL GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

ABSTRACT

Digital technology has expanded access to education, employment, expression, and social participation. Yet the same digital spaces have also become sites where women face abuse, harassment, surveillance, and threats intended to silence and control them. Digital Gender-Based Violence (DGBV) includes a wide range of harmful behaviours—online stalking, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, cyberbullying, doxxing, impersonation, deepfake pornography, blackmail, and targeted misogynistic trolling. These acts create lasting emotional trauma, reputational damage, and real-world harm. This paper explores the nature of digital gender-based violence, legal and policy responses in India and globally, technological challenges, enforcement gaps, and the way forward toward a safer online ecosystem for women.

1. INTRODUCTION

Digital spaces promised equality and empowerment. Social media created opportunities for self-expression, political participation, business, and networking. However, for many women, these platforms have also become spaces filled with fear, humiliation, and threats that echo patterns of offline patriarchy. Technology has simply offered new tools to reinforce old gender inequalities.

Digital gender-based violence is not only an attack on individual women. It silences female voices, discourages participation in public life, and limits access to digital rights. When women withdraw from online spaces due to fear, democracy itself suffers. Protecting women from digital violence is therefore not only a matter of personal safety but a fundamental human rights issue.

2. MEANING AND FORMS OF DIGITAL GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE

Digital gender-based violence refers to actions that use digital tools—phones, social networking platforms, messaging apps, email, or emerging technologies—to inflict harm rooted in gender discrimination. It includes behaviours intended to threaten, coerce, harass, humiliate, or silence women.

Common forms of DGBV include:

• Cyberstalking: Repeated online monitoring, tracking, or threatening messages.
• Online sexual harassment: Sending sexual threats, unwanted explicit messages, or digitally manipulated pornography.
• Non-consensual sharing of intimate images (revenge porn): Uploading or circulating private sexual photos without permission.
• Doxxing: Publishing personal information, such as home address or phone numbers, to invite real-world harm.
• Deepfake pornography: Using AI to fabricate explicit content with a woman’s face.
• Trolling and abusive comments targeting gender or sexuality.
• Impersonation using fake accounts to defame or extort.
• Online blackmail and extortion through threats to leak images or messages.
• Cyber-bullying and mob attacks, often coordinated campaigns against female journalists, activists, and politicians.
• Morphing and photo editing to distort identity and reputation.

These attacks cause long-lasting damage. Many women experience depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, job loss, relationship breakdowns, and, in extreme cases, suicide. The harm is not virtual; its effects extend deeply into the real world.

3. CAUSES AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

Digital gender-based violence is rooted in social attitudes that normalise misogyny and blame women rather than perpetrators. Several factors contribute to its rise:

1. Anonymity and lack of accountability

Offenders often hide behind fake identities, making accountability difficult.

2. Patriarchal attitudes

Cultural stigma surrounding female sexuality makes women vulnerable to blackmail and shame.

3. Rapid technological growth

Laws and enforcement mechanisms struggle to keep pace with AI tools and new digital platforms.

4. Lack of awareness

Many victims do not know how to report abuse or seek legal remedies.

5. Platform negligence

Social media platforms often delay action, allowing harmful content to spread rapidly.

6. Low digital literacy among women

Lack of training in online safety and privacy settings increases risk.

4. LEGAL FRAMEWORK PROTECTING WOMEN IN INDIA

India has strengthened its legal framework against online violence, although implementation remains challenging. Relevant laws include:

Information Technology Act, 2000

• Section 66E: Punishes violation of privacy involving capturing or sharing intimate images.
• Section 67 and 67A: Penalise publishing or transmitting sexually explicit content.
• Section 69A: Allows blocking of harmful content by government order.

Indian Penal Code

• Section 354C: Voyeurism.
• Section 354D: Stalking, including cyberstalking.
• Section 499–500: Defamation.
• Section 503–507: Criminal intimidation and anonymous threats.
• Section 509: Insulting the modesty of a woman.

CrPC Section 144A

Allows urgent response to digital threats, potentially inciting violence.

POCSO Act

Covers child sexual exploitation online.

IT Rules 2021

Require social media intermediaries to remove unlawful content within specified time limits and identify originators of messages in serious cases.

Judicial developments

Indian courts have acknowledged the seriousness of digital harassment. Courts have ordered the immediate removal of morphed photographs and directed police to take cyber complaints seriously. These decisions show growing judicial recognition that digital crimes are real crimes.

5. INTERNATIONAL APPROACHES

Many countries have enacted targeted legislation to protect women from online abuse. For example:

• The United Kingdom criminalises non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
• Canada bans revenge porn and permits victims to seek both criminal punishment and civil damages.
• Australia has an e-Safety Commissioner with authority to order takedowns within 24 hours.
• The European Union Digital Services Act requires platforms to remove harmful content promptly and improve algorithmic transparency.

Globally, there is a push toward recognising online safety as a human right and holding technology companies accountable.

6. IMPACT ON WOMEN AND SOCIETY

Digital abuse damages mental health, relationships, safety, and freedom of expression. Studies consistently show that women withdraw from professional and social spaces due to fear of harassment. Female journalists, politicians, and activists experience the highest levels of attack, creating a chilling effect on public participation.

Women from marginalised groups, including Dalit women, LGBTQ+ women, and religious minorities, face intersectional abuse that combines sexism with caste, religion, or sexuality-based hate.

Online abuse also reinforces economic inequality. Women often abandon careers requiring public visibility, such as media, law, politics, or entrepreneurship.

7. CHALLENGES IN ENFORCEMENT

Although laws exist, enforcement remains weak. Several barriers prevent justice:

1. Under-reporting

Victims fear social stigma, victim-blaming, or harassment from law enforcement officers.

2. Jurisdictional complexity

Perpetrators may be anonymous or located in foreign countries.

3. Slow response from tech companies

Content spreads instantly, but removal takes days or weeks.

4. Lack of coordination between cyber cells and local police

Cases are delayed or ignored due to a lack of training.

5. Limited digital forensics capacity

Evidence often disappears quickly.

6. Cultural stigma

Society blames victims for sharing photos rather than punishing offenders.

These challenges show that legal protection requires more than legislation; it needs systemic reform.

8. ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

Technology companies hold tremendous responsibility. Algorithms often reward controversial or abusive posts because they generate engagement. Platforms frequently do too little to protect women, especially in non-English contexts.

Effective protection requires:

• Stronger AI-based detection of abusive patterns.
• Faster takedown timelines.
• Human review panels with gender-sensitivity training.
• Clear reporting tools and survivor support.
• Transparency about moderation decisions.

Many platforms have updated policies, but implementation remains uneven.

9. PREVENTIVE MEASURES AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Protection must combine law enforcement, education, and technology. Useful measures include:

Government responses

• National cybercrime reporting portal for filing complaints.
• Women-focused cybercrime desks in cities.
• Helplines for immediate support.
• Digital literacy programs for girls and women.
• Stronger cooperation with international tech firms.

Civil society and community roles

• NGOs offering counselling, legal aid, and digital security training.
• Schools teaching digital consent and responsible behaviour.
• Media campaigns challenging victim-blaming.

Individual safety practices

• Strong privacy settings and secure passwords.
• Avoid storing intimate images in unsecured devices.
• Reporting and blocking abusers rather than engaging.

Protection is most effective when society supports survivors rather than shaming them.

10. RESTORATIVE AND SUPPORT-BASED APPROACHES

Beyond punishment, survivors need psychological and emotional support. Counselling, therapy, and community solidarity are crucial for healing. Restorative justice models—where appropriate—can help offenders understand the consequences of their actions and reduce repeated behaviour.

However, restorative processes must never pressure victims into reconciliation or compromise their safety.

11. THE WAY FORWARD

To build a safer digital world, India and other countries need a multi-layered approach combining legal, social, technological, and educational strategies. Key reforms should include:

Legislative reforms

• Clear definitions of emerging digital crimes like deepfakes and AI-generated sexual abuse.
• Fast-track courts for cyber cases.
• Compensation and privacy protection schemes.

Stronger enforcement

• Training programmes for police, prosecutors, and judges.
• Better digital forensic capabilities.
• Mandatory removal of harmful content within strict time limits.

Technology accountability

• Algorithms must prioritise user safety over engagement.
• Platforms should face penalties for failure to remove harmful content.
• Stronger user verification systems.

Education and awareness

• Digital-safety curriculum for students.
• Public campaigns addressing misogyny and gender equality.

Intersectional and survivor-centred support

• Policies must recognise that different women face different risks.
• Counselling, mental-health support, and anonymity options must be available.

Real safety requires shifting social attitudes, not just passing laws.

12. CONCLUSION

Digital gender-based violence exposes how deeply misogyny is woven into society and how technology can magnify it. Protecting women online is not about restricting freedom of expression. It is about ensuring that half the population is not silenced by fear. A safe digital space is essential for equality, democracy, and human dignity.

Laws alone cannot solve the problem. Change must come through education, accountability, survivor-centred response mechanisms, and a cultural shift that refuses to shame victims or excuse perpetrators. When women can speak freely without threat or humiliation, society becomes stronger. The fight against digital gender-based violence is therefore a fight for justice, equality, and the right to exist and express without fear both online and offline.