Faceless perpetrators make online space unsafe for women

While urban women often brave such calls, those coming from rural backgrounds or socio-economically backward families are affected the most.

The murder of a fan of Kannada actor Darshan has sent shock waves across not just Karnataka but elsewhere as well. But the spotlight on the actor’s role in the crime has the focus away from where it all began: the victim, Renukaswamy, was sending obscene messages on social media to Pavithra Gowda, Darshan’s alleged partner, which triggered an act of revenge that went terribly wrong.

Working under the alias of Goutham K.S., Renukaswamy had sent obscene messages and photos of his private parts to Pavithra. Investigation revealed that he was a habitual offender and had sent similar pictures and messages to many women, especially social media influencers in the Kannada space.

This case of harassment is not an isolated incident. Most women active on social media in Bengaluru say they have received inappropriate messages or obscene photos. It’s worse when it comes to women who have a public profile or are celebrities.

According to Bengaluru City Police data, as many as 47 cases of online sexual abuse have been booked this year alone. Last year, it was 156, and in 2022, the number was 28.

As in the case with Pavithra, many such cases never reach the police since victims find the task of taking the legal route too daunting. Those who do, don’t always get justice, given the myriad challenges such crimes pose to law enforcement agencies.

A 28-year-old Bengaluru resident was shaken upon learning that her pictures were being misused by someone who had created fake accounts on Instagram and Facebook. According to the First Information Report filed in the Central Cybercrime, Economic Offences, Narcotics (CEN) police station, the perpetrator had created two fake accounts on Instagram and two fake accounts on Facebook using the woman’s pictures.

The culprit was sending posts to the public and friends of the complainant that for ₹100, they could make obscene video calls to her. A friend of hers noticed the post and made the payment to the specified number, only to be blocked by the perpetrator. This was then brought to the attention of the woman, which led her to complain to the cyber police. Investigation is underway in the case.