Collaboration among enforcement agencies, academia, civil society crucial as deterrent: Experts

Srinagar: To address the critical issue of cybercrimes affecting women and to foster awareness and dialogue on strategies to combat such offenses, the Law Society, School of Law, Kashmir University (KU) in collaboration with National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Directorate of Mission Shakti, Department of Social Welfare, J&K, Thursday organised a daylong national seminar on ‘Cyber Crime Against Women here.
Dean Research, KU, Prof Irshad Ahmad Nawchoo; Registrar, KU, Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir; officials from police and civil administration, deans and heads from various KU schools/departments, faculty, scholars and students attended the function.
On the occasion, chairperson, NCW, Government of India, Rekha Sharma, underlined the significance of the internet and social media, however, cautioned to be vigilant while using any platform and sharing personal information.
“Targeting women is very easy as the online predators often attack the young and the vulnerable. They troll, abuse and bully but you have to be thick-skinned to counter that,” she said.
She further said that collaboration between law enforcement agencies, technology companies, academia and civil society is crucial to develop effective strategies for preventing and combating cybercrime against women.
Sharing his observations and concerns pertaining to cybercrimes, Dean Academic Affairs, KU, Prof Farooq Ahmad Masoodi, stressed the need for awareness campaigns and digital literacy initiatives that are essential to educate women about online safety and reporting mechanisms.
“The anonymity afforded by the online environment emboldens offenders, making it challenging to track and prosecute them,” he said, adding that as responsible members of the society, we need to draw meaningful and effective lines for the development of societies with zero tolerance for cybercrimes.
Founder, Cyber-Peace Foundation, Vineet Kuma, said that cybercrime against women is a specific aspect of this broad challenge, encompassing various forms of online harassment, abuse and exploitation targeting women.
“Addressing cybercrime against women requires a multi-faceted approach that combines legal, technological and societal efforts to create a safer digital environment for all,” he said, adding that under-reporting is the biggest challenge right now, as people do not come forward to register complaints.
Outlining the aims and objectives of the seminar, Dean and Head, School of Law, KU, Prof Mohammad Hussain said that strict legal frameworks, coupled with swift and efficient law enforcement responses, can act as deterrents and provide recourse for victims.
“Empowering women through education, support networks and digital literacy programmes is also key to foster resilience and reduce the impact of cybercrime in the online spaces,” Prof Hussain added.

KR Desk