Fighting Cyber Crimes

erin Joseph, IPS, is certainly an extraordinary woman.  As one of Kerala’s few women in IPS, she holds a unique position and has already done so much at such a young age. When she came to JT Pac to talk about women empowerment and cyber crimes, a huge crowd turned up.  Everyone wanted to hear what she had to say, and the respect for her achievements was palpable.  Cyberstalking and harassment are things that countless women face today, and the sheer anonymity of cyberspace makes it seem like an impossible threat to stop.  So what can be done?

Merin Joseph emphasized the need to speak up and not remain a silent victim, especially for young women.  â€œThere is nothing wrong you have done.  You are a victim,” she said, adding that women and girls should not live in fear wondering what will happen to their image and honour if they report the issue.  â€œThese are outdated ideas,” she added. There is no going back from the technology revolution, but care must be used.  â€œBe very cautious about privacy settings,” she said, saying there was no need to have strangers added as friends on Facebook.  Spam texts and emails should be blocked, not replied to.  If needed, they can be reported to the police so action can be taken against the perpetrator.

All women should have helpline numbers on their phone.   100 for police across the country, and 1090 specifically for the Kochi city control room.  Make sure these essential numbers are saved in your phone, so you can call them with just a tap of your finger if you are ever in need.