The Dangers of Being A Woman Who Speaks On Politics Online

In December of 2019, the Indian Parliament passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act which provides illegal immigrants with a path to acquire Indian citizenship. It is limited to people of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, and Christian origin who fled persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan before December 2014. This was the first instance in Indian law, where religion was explicitly stated as a criterion for granting citizenship causing nationwide protests to erupt against this move. The demonstrations were primarily organised online through platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, with women and university students, at the forefront. The women of Shaheen Bagh, a neighbourhood in South Delhi, captured the eyes of the world with their determination to express their concerns about the law. Female journalists and activists highlighted the systemic inequalities brought out by the act and the parliament's abuse of power. Some of the dominant female voices were those of actor and activist, Swara Bhaskar; journalists, Rana Ayyub, Faye D’Souza, and activists Shehla Rashid and Gurmehar Kaur, all of whom faced immense criticism and attacks for their views.

Due to increased internet connectivity and the ease of voicing opinions online, social media spaces have become a breeding ground for discussions and debates on sociopolitical issues. Although these platforms have increased the number of voices being heard, they have failed to protect those who are vulnerable to cyber attacks for vocalising their opinions. Women, in particular, who voice their opinions online are subject to some of the most vicious and disturbing assaults both online and offline.

Female activists speaking up against atrocities committed by patriarchal and authoritarian systems across the world have been susceptible to all forms of harassment and intimidation online including but not limited to rape and death threats. Rana Ayyub, an investigative journalist and writer who has written pieces on religious violence and extrajudicial killings was named one of 10 journalists across the world whose lives are under threat. Often, these threats have been turned into reality. Gauri Lankesh, journalist and activist, who primarily covered Dalit and women's issues and was a staunch critic of right-wing Hindutva politics, was murdered in 2017 for her news coverage.

Besides threats of physical violence and exposure to graphic imagery, women who choose to exercise their democratic right of freedom of expression are, unlike their male counterparts, subjected to slut-shaming and moral scrutiny. Safoora Zargar, a 27-year-old Muslim student and activist, was arrested for protesting and brutally targeted and harassed online about her pregnancy. Online trolls questioned the ‘legitimacy’ of her pregnancy, spread baseless rumours, and morphed her face onto pornographic images. Other female activists have experienced similar attacks where their private details like pictures and addresses have been leaked online. Misogynistic judgements and claims are used to discredit and delegitimise the opinions of women who engage in political discourse. Although anyone who dares to question the powerful may face online bullying, women and other minorities face more severe and life-threatening retaliation. Reporters With Borders' latest survey revealed that India now ranks 142nd on the global press freedom index in a list of 180 countries. With the freedom of the press under threat and crimes against women rising, female journalists in India find themselves in a vulnerable position. Internet culture and the online environment where anonymity and trolling are used to publicly shame and intimidate people reflect this increasing hostility towards women sharing their opinions. Online platforms have failed to control this spiral of hate and harassment and have created a culture of online toxicity and hatred that mimics the real-world experiences of women.

Addressing online violence and harassment requires collective efforts from individuals, corporations and governments. Cyberbullying needs to be seen as a legitimate form of offence. Against women, it is a manifestation of gender-based violence and cannot be regarded as separate from offline attacks. Women should be free to express themselves without threats regardless of the platform they use. Currently, the only options available to subjects of these threats besides legal recourse, are of blocking, reporting, muting their faceless bullies. These tools do go a long way to prevent psychological and mental stress for the user, but it does not stop the assailants. The deep-seated prejudices that fuel hatred and aim to silence the voices of women online must be eradicated before searching for ways to the internet a more democratic and free environment. Presently, it is only a microcosm that reflects the lived experiences of women when they wish to speak their minds on controversial topics.

References

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