A cybercrime victim needs to know she can seek justice

Since their inception in 1987, WIN has worked towards addressing the issues of violence against women and girls in Sri Lanka, while providing free crisis intervention services to vulnerable victims of violence and advocating for the much needed reform systems and frameworks.

As their research showed, some of the biggest challenges in addressing cyber harassment included low awareness that a crime may have been committed, the lack of policy or procedure, gaps in law training, political will and the lack of resources. Speakers at the launch Ermiza Tegal and Deanna Uyangoda, Attorneys- atLaw explained that there is a knowledge gap with regards to the crimes involved.

Aside from this, the approach and procedure adopted by the Police are varied, with a strong tendency to either not entertain or pass on the complaint to CID Cyber Crimes. There are also serious challenges to handling sensitive material and securing privacy of the victims.

Online or digital abuse is an umbrella term referring to a range of harmful behaviour experienced on various online platforms as well as mobile phones and other electronic devices.

According to WIN, this has also become one of the easiest and most offensive form of harrasment against a person, and is the newest manifestation of sexual violence against women and girls.

As the Chairman of WIN Savithri

Addressing these issues in the long term cannot be limited by a strict approach, explains Hans Billimoria from the Grassrooted Trust. Simply making sure the perpetrators are punished is only one part of the solution. Most importantly, preventive education in schools and educating the parents on these issues need to be carried out as well.

As Hans points out, today children as young as 11 to 13 years old are getting online, as the vast majority of people now use the Internet to maintain relationships above anything else. In the same vein, with this level of connectivity comes a dark side.

“Love and trust are some of the main motivations for sending nude pictures between young people. The ‘nude’ is now a symbol of fidelity,” he explains.

Though such content may have been consensual at the time, breakdowns in relationships result in the unlawful distribution of these images to third parties — a direct violation. Hans recalls handling four cases where the girls have preferred the sexual violence, to their parents finding out that they’ve sent these pictures.

“What is the status of relationship between the parent

Wijesekera points out, the unauthorised distribution of a person’s sexual images, violates, humiliates and intimidates the victim and the damage done is irreversible and irreparable. The psychological impact of this is also considered longer lasting as opposed to other forms of violence, since these images keep circulating online.

“The problem is not actual impuand the child that allows for this blackmail and control?”

Prevention starts with education, and Hans notes that people need to be educated on data retrieval software. Personal data on phones and laptops are easily retrievable through software, at any given phone repair shop. “So you’d think the pictures are gone once they are deleted. But they aren’t.”

Another growing problem is the platforms on which these images could be shared. According to the experimental research work on the local cybersphere, it was revealed that the girl

nity, rather it’s the perception of impunity. He thinks he can get away with it. He knows he can get away with it and that is why he keeps doing it,” Deanna shares, adding that the aim is to curtail this issue. There is also a need for more resources for the police to tackle these issues, because taking a complaint is simply the beginning.

Eliminating the fear faced by most often would share an image with the boy (after much convincing or emotional blackmail) and the boy then shares this on his Whatsapp groups and larger Dropbox folders.

Hans explains that online violations are not just about nude pictures, it also has much to do with our general attitude. There is a lot to learn, starting from a young age. “Respect, consent, empathy, focusing on self esteem and helping our children understand what trust means, and that they need to be sensible and think through the consequences of their actions.”

most victims placing the complaint is of utmost importance, and in order to do this the victim needs to be put first. The much- needed implementation of the SOP will mean that anyone, in any part of the country, will be able to seek assistance from the police with the hope of finally getting justice for this insidious crime.

* Name changed to protect identity