CYBER CRIME AGAINST WOMEN
THE LAWWAY WITH LAWYERS JOURNAL VOLUME:-24 ISSUE NO:- 24 ,JUNE 29, 2025 ISSN (ONLINE):- 2584-1106 Website: www.the lawway with lawyers.com Email: thelawwaywithelawyers@gmail.com Authored By :- Priya Kumari, a student at Central University of South Bihar, Gaya CYBER CRIME AGAINST WOMEN Abstract In the era of rapid digitalization, cyber crime against women has emerged as a growing and deeply concerning issue. With increasing access to the internet and social media, women are frequently subjected to online threats such as cyberstalking, cyberbullying and non-consensual sharing of private content etc. These acts not only infringe upon women’s right to privacy and dignity but also have long-lasting psychological and social consequences. Despite existing legal provisions in India like the Information Technology Act, 2000 and sections of the Indian Penal Code, enforcement remains weak and awareness among victims is low. This article explores the nature, causes, and impact of cyber crime against women, highlighting the urgent need for stronger legal frameworks, digital literacy, and gender-sensitive law enforcement to ensure a safer online space for all. Keywords: Cybercrime, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, sextortion Preface Cyberspace is the name given to the computer- generated world of the internet, and cyber laws are the regulations that apply there. Due to the fact that this space has a form of universal governance, all druggies are governed by these regulations. Cyber law is another area of law that deals with legal problems brought on by the operation of networked information technology. People each across the world have been going through delicate times because of the epidemic. Another catastrophe, videlicet cybercrime and mobile crime, spread like a contagion while people defied and fought the epidemic. Several people expressed their annoyance with the lockdown by abusing the internet and phone technologies and plaguing others, while numerous used these means to keep themselves distracted and engaged throughout the outbreak. During the outbreak, internet- grounded cybercrime grew fleetly and intensely. Meaning of Cybercrime Information Technology Act of 2000 or any other law in India doesn’t mention cybercrime. A crime or offense has been precisely defined by a list of specific offenses and the penalties that go on with them under the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and a number of other bills. As a result, cybercrime may be described as a conflation of technology and crime. Cybercrimes are simply,” any offense or crime that involves the use of a computer.” Cybercrime is the term used to describe crimes carried out online in which the perpetrator remains anonymous behind a computer screen and isn’t inescapably needed to make eye contact with the victim. In a cyber-crime, the computer or the data is the intended victim, the crime’s intended outgrowth, or a tool used to grease the commission of another crime by furnishing the needed inputs. Cybercrime Victims Women and children were the most vulnerable corridor of society during the epidemic, making them simple targets for cybercriminals whereas men and grown-ups were victims of several cybercrime swindles. Women were exposed to these crimes during the epidemic, in particular housewives and those who use social media. The data from the 2021 National Commission for Women show that after a lockdown, the number of cybercrime incidents against women decreases. When India was poorly affected by the alternate batch of COVID- 19 and nearly the entire country was subordinated to rigorous lockdown restrictions in April and May of 2021, the frequence of cybercrimes against women increased drastically in March and continued to rise. Eventually, after the alternate epidemic surge passed and the lockdown restrictions were released in June, the frequence of cyber-attack circumstances started to dwindle as well. This script lasted till July as the lockdown restrictions were lifted. In earlier times, there were veritably many womanish victims of cybercrime, but during the epidemic and lockdown, this figure significantly increased. Women as the Victim of Cybercrimes During the epidemic and lockdown, people were impelled to use the internet for social, professional, recreational, and educational purposes. Through the use of laptops, smartphones, and the internet, working women started working from home. Women who are still in academy are impelled to use the internet for online coursework and other academic hobbies. The rate of cybercrime against women started to increase at this time since the maturity of women were using social media spots and one or further online platforms for academic, professional, and entertainment purposes. culprits started mentally and emotionally plaguing the victim because they couldn’t physically harm them because the entire country was on lockdown. Women are most generally exposed to the following Cyber Crimes Sextortion: The most common cybercrime performed against women during the epidemic was sextortion. By using their victims’ private prints or altered images as blackmail, the malefactors started demanding plutocrat or sexual favors from them. In order to express their aggravation about the epidemic, the malefactors hovered women and asked for sexual videoconferencing or letters from them. also, as they had no plutocrat, they felt empowered to hang victims with their altered images in order to get plutocrat from them. Phishing To make plutocrat during the lockdown, culprits shoot fake- mails with a link to a particular webpage in an trouble to force the victim into entering particular information like contact details and watchwords or with the purpose of infecting the victim’s device with dangerous contagions as soon as the link is clicked. These textbooks and emails appear to be authentic. The bushwhackers also carry out shady deals from the victim’s bank account to their own using the victim’s bank account and other private information. Pornography During the epidemic, malefactors indulged in online sexual attacks against women, altering the victim’s image and using it in pornographic material. Cyber stalking: It included, among other effects, reaching or trying to engage the victim via social media spots or phone exchanges despite her egregious lack of interest, posting dispatches on the victim’s runner( frequently hanging in nature), and persistently bothering the victim with emails and phone calls. Cyber playing During the epidemic, people started reading the news online. There are