Digital platforms account for rampant cases of violence

Digital platforms are found to have reported a sizable number of online violence. According to a report made public here amid a function organised on the occasion of the 113th International Women’s Day by the NGO Federation of Nepal, Facebook messenger dominated the number of complaints registered with the police in the fiscal year, 2020/21. Facebook messenger accounted for a whopping 3,451 cases of violence registered followed by 75 by Instagram.

Similarly, Tiktok reported 70 cases of violence, YouTube 56, WhatsApp 47, email 29, E-sewa 28, IMO 17 and Twitter 15. Similarly by province, during 16 July to 16 November, 2021, Bagmati Province reported highest 139 cases of violence followed by 135 by Lumbini. Likewise, Gandaki Province witnessed 113 cases, Koshi 73, Madhes 52, Karnali 41 and Sudurpaschim 27. Prepared by Babita Basnet, who works for the promotion of right to information, women’s empowerment and gender equality and rights of marginalised communities through media mobilisation, the report has cited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Cyber Bureau, Kathmandu, as data sources.

The report cited types of online violence as misinformation and defamation, disinformation, cyber harassment, hate speech, impersonation, hacking and stalking, video and image-based abuse, doxing, violent threats, astroturfing, FemTech and gender digital divide. Speaking on the occasion, assistant professor Rukmini Maharjan stressed the need for tech friendly education to be safe from online violence. She also called for participatory and gender-friendly information technology and women’s participation at the policy making level. Similarly, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) Bhagawan Shrestha called for all including the state and society to come together to deal with all sorts of violence including violence against women.

He also stressed the need for making required laws related to violence. Also, Bishnu Maya Ojha, member of the National Inclusive Commission, emphasised the right utilisation of digital platforms instead of only blaming them. There was a need for creating awareness about information technology, she added.