Cybercrime against Women in India: A Comparative Study of Pre and Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Period

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created havoc in all Nation-States worldwide. The transmission of the virus led to an increase in cases that led to the global imposition of lockdown. This situation forced a large number of people confined within four walls, including women, to be engaged in surfing the internet (i.e., the use of the internet and various social media platforms) during the pandemic. As stated by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the Government of India, there is an increasing number of cybercrime cases against women from 8,415 (2019) to 10,405 (2020), and it further jumped to 10,730 cases in 2021 during COVID-19. It indicates that heavy browsing of the internet led to a significant increase in Cybercrimes Against Women (CAW) during the pandemic.

Objectives: (i). To critically analyze the root causes of cybercrimes against women in India; (ii) To scrutinize various judicial pronouncements related to CAW. (ii). To critically investigate and examine the data published by the National Commission for Women (NCW) and to find out the trends of CAW in India before and after the pandemic.

Methodology: This study is based on doctrinal research of secondary data sources followed by qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Findings: The findings suggest that the imposition of lockdown has increased CAW due to their active engagement in the digital world. The study also reveals that educated, tech-savvy women living in cities are more prone to victims of cybercrimes.

Conclusion: India has adopted various stringent laws to prevent cybercrimes. However, due to a lack of awareness, effective and efficient rule implementation, and robust monitoring mechanisms, the government has failed to ensure a crime-free society for women even after 78 years of independence.