Trolling: 'Harassment act should cover social media'

An increasing number of women are now classified as harassment victims on social media in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD:

With an increasing number of women now classified as harassment victims on social media in Pakistan, experts suggested that the government consider adding cyber crime to the Protection of Women against Harassment at Workplace Act.

While some consider it a crude joke to upload illicit information of women in universities and workplaces on social websites, the consequences of sharing such information was igniting a new debate on the access and availability of information.

The seminar, titled ‘Social Media: New Dimension of Violence against Women’ by the Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation, shed light on different aspects of cybercrime that were immeasurably hurting young girls, who face subsequent losses of personal freedom, mobility, and most importantly, educational and employment opportunities.

“What was put on a social media gossip page ruined my life,” said Komal, a student who was abused by her family members when they came across a false rumor shared on a college gossip page.

“We must educate our girls at college level about their privacy settings on the various social websites,” said Social Media Expert Rubab Khan.

University of Sindh Institute of Gender Studies Director Misbah Bibi urged the Higher Education Commission to issues directives to all university administrations to control the rising trend of cybercrime against girls in educational institutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2013.