VIRTUAL VIOLENCE: UNDERSTANDING CYBERCRIME AGAINST WOMEN

AUTHOR – YOGESH PRASAD KOLEKAR, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT M.K.E.S COLLEGE OF LAW

BEST CITATION – YOGESH PRASAD KOLEKAR, VIRTUAL VIOLENCE: UNDERSTANDING CYBERCRIME AGAINST WOMEN, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (3) OF 2025, PG. 20-23, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

This article is published in the collaborated special issue of M.K.E.S. College of Law and the Institute of Legal Education (ILE), titled “Women’s Rights and Legal Reforms” (ISBN: 978-81-968842-4-6). .

ABSTRACT

In the digital age, the internet has become an integral part of our lives, offering countless opportunities for communication, education, and empowerment. Cybercrime against women encompasses a wide range of offenses, including online harassment, stalking, defamation, morphing, revenge porn, and identity theft. Cybercrime refers to criminal activities that are executed through the use of electronic devices, such as computers or mobile phones. Cybercrime against women refers to any criminal activity that targets women using digital technologies. These crimes often exploit the anonymity and reach of the internet to harass, intimidate, or harm women. Persistent online harassment encompasses actions such as sending threatening or abusive messages, tracking a woman’s online presence, or repeatedly reaching out without her permission. The act of disseminating false or harmful information about a woman across social media or other online channels is known as online defamation. India has taken significant steps to address cybercrime against women through a combination of specific laws and amendments to existing legislation. The primary legal frameworks include the Information Technology Act, 2000 and under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Keywords: Cybercrime against women, virtual violence, cyberstalking, online defamation, Information Technology Act, 2000