Cyberstalking, the distribution of morphed pornographic images and videos on social media, and even deep fakes targeting the fairer sex were previously handled by men at the crime branch's cyber cell. Women had previously avoided approaching the police due to embarrassment in discussing such offences with men.
The cyber cell will have a 'women only' division for the first time. The city police will soon establish two police stations to handle cybercrime against women. One of the women's cyber cells is expected to be established on the first floor of the Madhupura Mahila police station. A budget for purchasing basic equipment and furniture has been approved.
According to a senior police officer, the women's division of the cyber cell will not be operational for at least a year.
The initiative will take place as part of the Nirbhaya project. This was done in part because many women do not come forward to file complaints, particularly in cases of sexual assault and stalking.
There will be two police stations for cyber crimes against women, one in the city's east and one in the city's west.
“We had proposed for the cyber women police stations under the Nirbhaya project, for which buildings have been identified, and we have been training women cops to inquire into the cyber cases pertaining to women victims,” said a Gujarat police officer.
He claims that women are frequently the targets of cyber stalking, snooping, and image and video morphing in which they are portrayed negatively.
“There are ‘n’ number of cases were women’s obscene pictures and videos with vulgar remarks are posted by accused persons, who are either jilted lovers or men with whom the victims broke up in past,” said the officer. In such cases, the women hesitate interact with male police personnel. So, we have decided to deploy women cops, he said. “For such cases, we have decided to dedicate cyber women police stations where women can narrate their ordeals before women cops,” said the officer.
The strength of the cyber women police stations has yet to be determined, but it will be done along the lines of the city's two Mahila (women) police stations (east and west), where each police station has one inspector who is monitored by an ACP from both police stations, according to the officer.
