Online Gender-Based Violence - Guide cover image

Online Gender-Based Violence

We are very sorry to hear that you are facing this issue. 

  • Firstly, it will be important that you collect all relevant evidence before you report this. For the same, you take screenshots of the following information -

    • Every interaction

    • Every user sharing your data

    • Every website sharing your data

    • Date and Time

    • Store and save any links

  • Forward it to yourself if it is a message

  • Thereafter, you can make a complaint to report such an instance to the Grievance Officer of that platform. Follow these steps to find the reporting mechanism -

Here are a few simple steps through which you can report on a social media platform 

  • Search on Google “Name of the social media platform + report of the grievance officer india” 

  • Click on the website link provided by the platform itself 

  • Fill and submit the form by providing all relevant details of your case

  • Please note that such a Grievance Officer is obligated to acknowledge the receipt of your complaint and resolve it within a period of 15 days.

  • If after requesting reviews and getting their decisions, you believe the social media site has not taken the right decision, you can file a complaint with the government’s Grievance Appellate Committee, on: https://gac.gov.in/

Given that this is a criminal offence, you can also file a first information report. You can proceed as per the following steps -

  • The Government also has a National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal where you can report these incidents; the link to the site is: https://cybercrime.gov.in/Webform/crmcondi.aspx

  • The helpline number is 1930. The women’s helpline number is 181.

  • Please remember that it is your right to pursue a legal action.

  • Filing of written complaint in the nearby cyber cell

    • The written complaint shall be addressed to the Head of the Cybercrime Cell

    • It should mention details like name, contact, email address

  • Filing of complaint in an absence of access to a cyber cell

    • If one does not have access to any cyber cell, then one can file a First Information Report (FIR) at the local police station

  • Filing of written complaint in the nearby police station

    • In case the complaint is not accepted at police station, one can approach the Commissioner or the city’s Judicial Magistrate.

    • It is mandatory under Section 173 BNSS, for every police officer to record the information/complaint of an offense, irrespective of the jurisdiction in which the crime was committed.

  • While filing the complaint, try to ensure that you specify in detail how you received such mis/disinformation and the harms caused by the same. At this stage, it will be crucial for you to include all relevant facts in a manner that is an accurate and holistic representation of your case. You can do so by taking screenshots and hyperlinks of the following:

    • Every interaction

    • Every user sharing such content

    • Date and Time

    • Store and save any links

  • If possible, please provide hyperlinks to such alleged content during the preparation of the complaint. 

Read our multiligual guide on Online Gender Based Violence. 

https://sflc.in/online-gender-based-violence-multilingual-guide/

 

OGBV Online Gender Based Violence Sflc.in report on OGBV