Pesky calls…..and some simple ways to deal with it

CYBER CRIME AGAINST WOMEN BY DEBARATI HALDER

I had a writer’s block. Exactly when I was searching for a solution, came an idea through a phone call. It was a pesky call for others, a ‘thought provoking’ call for me. A male voice conveyed the message that he loves me. Well, I was not taken aback. I have dealt with such cases and I know how amazing it may sound like when one young individual gets such phone calls for the first time. But when it involves women who do not want to entertain such callers, the experience is definitely not good. If it is a mobile number and the owner is very cautious about the privacy, it could be presumed that there would be no such pesky calls to disturb her. But this myth is easily broken when such tightly shielded privacy is suddenly broken. One may wonder how these phone numbers are publicized especially for pranksters like the guys who called me a couple of hours ago. Well, it is not the result of data mining, neither a part of stalking; I presume it is part of festive fun. It is chosen game for many youngsters to make calls to random numbers when some plan for a get together. When a woman’s voice is heard, these pranksters immediately start showing off the ‘Romeo’ inside them. Some of their targets get scared, some take it very seriously and threaten the callers to take it to the police if again they try such tactics; some transfer the phone to the male members of the family to deal with the matter in a ‘manly’ way and some become permanent victims because they don’t want to get anyone’s help thinking that the whole blame would be put on them. The last category of ‘targets’ are always ‘chosen’ types for pranksters as they feel these recipients are reliable targets; they will not bring in any trouble for their (annoying) fun time.

            But how to deal with it? There are ways ….not one, but multiple ways to tackle them; complaining to the police with the received call records, approaching the man directly through lawyer’s help,changing number and even avoiding the number when it rings , etc. But the problem does not really end here. The woman needs to be strong enough to deal with it. I did a counter prank when these guys were ‘playing’ with my privacy and testing my patience. I gave the device to my Mr. Right and we decided to make it the biggest Diwali fun. The soft voice informed this ‘festive season lover’ that he has jumped in front of the gun; but anyway, we are willing to help him because we are THE police station. Well, we really are, as it is my job to record the patterns of approaches so that I can contribute for a better law. Did he blink? Did he go blank? Did he faint? Probably. Because there were no more phone calls and my ‘lover’ switched off his phone in between.

Hope all of you there had a wonderful Diwali.

Please Note: Do not violate copyright of this blog. If you would like to use informations provided in this blog for your own assignment/writeup/project/blog/article, please cite it as “Halder D. (2011), “Pesky calls…..and some simple ways to deal with it

”, 27^thOctober,2011, published in http://debaraticyberspace.blogspot.com/

Be aware of online mischief mongers

CYBER CRIME AGAINST WOMEN BY DEBARATI HALDER

Not all come to the net for networking, increasing business rapport or discussing some serious issues which may include academic discussions, burning social discussions or even chit-chats. Some even come for satisfying their sexual passion too. Yes, internet IS the place where one can hide under anonymity and satisfy him/herself in a manner that was unthinkable even a couple of years back. In my six long years of extensively browsing the net and networking, I have encountered many men species of this kind. I do not shy away from discussing one such incidence which made me to “grow up” as a woman in the internet. It happened before the Facebook era when Orkut won the hearts of millions of Indians. I was no exception. The concept of privacy was in its infanthood and any one could chat, send friend’s request and see personal albums of anyone. I was approached by some fellow net users who felt that I look “attractive”. There were some more  messages which could make any woman’s cheek flush with anger, deep insult and a feeling of guilt……yes you read it correctly…feeling of guilt….for why did I not choose to be a “man” in the net. May be a profile picture of one of the great Khans, could save me. I instantly deleted my profile to get rid of the problem.… I discussed the issue with my husband who is a criminologist himself. Why some men prefer to communicate in this fashion which brings out their ugly passion for sexual chats with unknown women? Why do they choose internet as a platform to do this? The simple answer is, such men love to use the net to relax in a mischievous manner. These sorts of men randomly choose women’s profile to be friends with, to chat and satisfy their own sexual pleasure in this unique way. Well, the trend has not died down still now. It remains and will remain. 

As a lawyer and a researcher, I know every one has the “rights to sexual pleasure”. But there lies THE point. One can not use such language or activities which may sound/appear  offensive, obscene or sexually explicit to others. It is not uncommon situation where such men grow very angry when they do not receive proper response from the women with whom they are communicating. Resultant, they may start hurling chosen abusive language and even threaten the women to disclose the whole chat session in the web. Where does the whole stuff land then? From mischievous sexual pranks to serious cajoling of the women to ugly name calling and then finally to angry messages which convey nothing but threat to the woman in question……all in a day’s work you say ! Our Indian laws do make such communications illegal and penal. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000(amended in 2008) makes it illegal and penal to convey such offensive messages. Along with this, the Indian Penal Code also offers other legal provisions to teach the prankster a lesson, depending upon the nature of the conversation; not to forget  the  provisions scripted under section 67 series of the Indian information Technology Act, 2000(amended in 2008) , compounded with each other, which  can curb the ugly part of the right to sexual pleasure.

This Durga puja season may see many women browsing the net more than browsing the puja pandals  and the Durga temples. So all the daughters of Durga, be careful when you accidentally or even casually bump on such “asuras”, for awareness is the best weapon.

Please Note: Do not violate copyright of this blog. If you would like to use informations provided in this blog for your own assignment/writeup/project/blog/article, please cite it as “Halder D. (2011), “Be aware of online mischief mongers”, 6^thOctober,2011, published in http://debaraticyberspace.blogspot.com/

The body language counts

CYBER CRIME AGAINST WOMEN BY DEBARATI HALDER

Recently I was working on one of my papers on sexting. When I started searching for literature and related informations , I came across many sites ………..adult networking sites to be precise, where men and women are depicted as ‘entertaining objects’ for sexually gratifying the site’s viewers. Many of these sites had links titled ‘amateur videos’. I did not have time to research whether these links were really ‘amateur’ or they were created by matured revenge takers. But this is for sure that many women do fall in the pit due to such video communications. Some sites like Yahoo messenger, Skype , Gtalk etc , provide this unique opportunity to see and talk to ‘friends’, relatives, colleagues etc. Now a days such video communications have become easily accessible, which was unthinkable even 15 years back. But the truth is, this ‘easy accessibility’ has made the users of the modern communication device ‘feel free’ when in front of the computer screen. No, it is not the pre teens, teenagers or young adults alone, who may expose their skin too much in video chatting sessions, but  adult male and females also may expose themselves too much .

In my earlier blogs, I had written about how women tend to fall prey to sexually pervert ‘boyfriends’. One must remember that being emotionally over powered by some one completely unknown ( and even known acquaintances too) and exposing oneself in front of the web cam may be a foolish job that one may repent for later. At the same time, users, especially women must not exhibit such body language in front of the webcam that can be (mis)construed to mean that the women is actually ‘inviting’. Such body languages may include  intentionally bending too much in front of the camera by which  cleavages or parts of the breasts can be seen, throwing flying kisses (especially when a person completely unknown to the woman is chatting),  removing of the dress or parts of the dress and cuddling up the pillow when chatting etc. I know many women feel free in front of the computer when known friends appear for chat over the blue screen. But in the Skype especially, one can capture still pictures from video chattings. One can even record the whole video chatting  without letting the other user know that she is being ‘recorded’. This indeed gives a broad chance for misuse of ‘friendship’. In India, the penal code may restrict any such video clipping, still pictures etc , published in the   net which may portray women  in  obscene and vulgar fashion, by tagging it as ‘harming the modesty of women’ under section 509; the Information Technology Act may restrict such images by tagging it as conveying obscenity under section 67A and above all, the Indecent Representation of women Act may also be pulled in to save the woman in question. But do remember, voluntary invitation of trouble by using bad  body language will inevitably land the victim in deeper trouble even if there are laws to prevent to floating of such ‘moments’ in the net. Many women do repent the ‘opening up’ later. Hence  be casual  yet formal when in front of the webcam. Do not let anyone take advantage of your feminity  and do not convey the message that ‘I am available for messy situations’.

Please Note: Do not violate copyright of this blog. If you would like to use informations provided in this blog for your own assignment/writeup/project/blog/article, please cite it as “Halder D. (2011), “The body language counts”, 11^th July,2011, published in http://debaraticyberspace.blogspot.com/