Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality & Culture Volume (6), Issue (1), June 2020 ISSN 2581-575X https://www.iisb.org./ Review Article Millennium women: Sexual challenges in the digital era Dr . Srijeeta Mukherjee PG Trainee, Department of Psychiatry, MKCG Medical College, Brahmapur, Ganjam, Odisha, Date of Submission : Abstract 30 March 2020 Date of Acceptance : Contemporary life is rapidly becoming digitalized. 30 May 2020 Technology has percolated all spheres of human existence, blurring the dichotomy between online and off-line. Social structures and discriminations already existing in everyday lives have also spilled online. Hate, abuse, misogyny has encroached online spaces aiming to demean, hurt, and humiliate women and are a serious threat to the right of free speech. In this article, we look at how digital platforms and paradoxically helpful in generating awareness and improving participation via social media with more and more women sharing their experiences via #Testimonials ( Keywords: Online hate, # MeToo, #NotOkay, #raped never reported, etc ) and Cyber sexual harassment, survivor selfies that go viral and generate public outcry that Indian cyber laws, Digilantism, mobilizes socio-cultural and socio-political changes that Psychological issues. strives to decrease the age-old gender divide. Introduction changed the ways we communicate, form relationships, and access information Digital technologies including smartphones, (Lupton, 2014). social networking sites, video hosting sites, online multiplayer gaming, clouds/dropbox The government of India recognizes the services, blogs, wearables with activity need to empower Indian citizens digitally and tracking, etc have dramatically changed increase digital literacy, launched the ‘Digital contemporary lifestyle and communication India’ campaign in 2015 which aims to (Powell, 2017; Lupton, 2014). increase connectivity, participation, and improved access to public services. They have a profound impact on all spheres of human behavior and existence. It has Digital technologies provide new forms of social connectivity for constructing self- Corresponding Author : Dr. Srijeeta Mukherjee identities outside traditional institutions E Mail: [email protected] How to cite the article : Mukherjee, S. (2020). (family, work, or school), create personal Millennium women: Sexual challenges in the space with definite boundaries as well as digital era. Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality & develop their social and professional lives to Culture, 6(1), 47-56. gain acceptance and recognition globally DOI : 10.5281/zenodo.3929191 47 Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality & Culture Volume (6), Issue (1) (Oksman, 2004). Technology has become social media, and online dating sites, or embedded in daily lives, permeating every through private communications via mobile nook and cranny increasingly blurring the phone or email, including verbal and/or dichotomies of online and offline written comments and requests, and/ or (Jamaludin, 2011). The rapidly developing graphic images (Sethi & Ghatak, 2018). information and communication technology Dimensions of Cyber Sexual Harassment have brought significant economic, political, (Powell, 2017) are identified as: and social changes so much so that 'Life is Digital' is not a hyperbolic claim ( Lupton, 2014). 1. Gender-based harassment: It may be verbal, visual, and textual. These are Society and technology are shaped mutually unsolicited comments or abusive by human behavior and interactions. remarks and pile on threats directed at Previously owing to the digital divide, poor victims because of their gender access, and digital illiteracy, the internet was invoking graphic imageries of rape, considered largely a masculine domain, violence, and abuse to stimulate fear developed for, and use by men (Levmore and and other negative emotions. Women, Nussbaum,2010).Due to increased mainly college-aged girls, are ridiculed awareness, affordable smart phones and online for their sexuality and objectified data-plans, women and other marginalized (Wajcman, 2000; Hardaker, 2016). Men groups (LGBTQ, people with disabilities, receive the hate for their ideas and etc) are increasingly using the ‘Net’ to share actions, the comments generally make ideas, express opinions, and create niche fun of their perceived sexuality and online presence (Green et al, 2015 ). With the diminish their manliness. Most globalization of digital communication, LGBTQ people are attacked because of abuse, and harassment too has become their sexuality doesn't conform to global (Henry and Powell, 2014; Powell, heterosexual society rules and they are 2017; Bartlett et al, 2014). Women are accused of being sex offenders and disproportionately high recipients of these sexually deviant. Sexual and Hate 'E-Bile' followed by people of alternate comments falsely accusing the victim sexuality and few men (Jane, 2014).Ninety of having STDs, mental illnesses, etc percent of the slanderous comments, real or flood the message boards and blog doctored images, and porn video content (Hardaker, 2010). showcases verbal or physical aggression against women (Mc Glynn, 2017). 2. Unwanted sexual attention and experiences: Perpetrators convey Online sexual harassment sexual messages by objectifying and Sexual harassment is a well defined and reducing victims to be their sex organs familiar term. It is a form of sex (often described as diseased) existing discrimination involving unwanted/ solely for the pleasure of others unwelcome sexual advances, requests for (Hardacker, 2010). Inappropriate sexual favor, and other conduct of verbal or comments on intimate lives and physical nature that causes another person to subjects, unsolicited images and feel offended, humiliated, fearful, or videosblatantly hinting sex-related intimidated. activities either online or offline (Baumgartner et al, 2010; Sarkeesian, It comes online when it is perpetrated with 2012).Using camera-enabled smart the aid of digital technology like on internet phones to take photographs and videos sites, such as chat rooms, public forums, of unsuspecting victims to share online. 48 Indian Journal of Health, Sexuality & Culture Volume (6), Issue (1) Victim's contact information, social can be retrieved online long after the victim security numbers, medical conditions, has curtailed and censored their online and their availability for sex are activities. advertised online rendering them The proliferation of cyber sexual vulnerable to violence by strangers harassment beside the perpetrators (doxxing) (Henry and Powell 2016; Eckert, 2020). India has 560 million (January 2020) active internet users and has become the leading 3. Sexual coercion and sextortion: country with 260 million people using Face Perpetrators pressurize victims to share book, 34 million users on Twitter, and video nude photographs and videos then sharing platform Tiktok was downloaded by extort money with threats of sharing them with family and public, damaging 466 million Indians by November 2019. reputation, employability, and Almost 400 million Indian smartphone users increasingly exposed to sexual assault are on Whats App or its local language by strangers. Many people (mainly counterpart (Tech Crunch, Reuters). women) are victims of revenge porn by Statistics show that the numbers are still their rejected ex-partners. Fake online increasing, with more people connecting advertisement soliciting sex and lies online. Higher educated people are using about the victim's violent and more internet. Men and womendiffer in their masochistic sexual preferences internet use (Bimber, 2000), with men populate the net created by often voraciously consuming information and known people, ex-boyfriends, ex- women gravitating towards communication. husbands, coworkers, etc. Nude photos Men are more likely to use the internet for and videos, doctored images appear on recreation and women are rapidly catching dedicated porn sites in case of non up (Statistics Research Department, 2020). cooperation (Englander, 2015; Powell 2017, 122). Several predators coerce Due to the lack of digital literacy, many are and groom children online to produce unaware of their digital rights. For them, child pornography (Beech et al, 2008). cyberspace is a disembodied and abstract 4. Cyberstalking: Malicious stalkers are virtual space that is very different from real using sophisticated technologies to lives, full of fun and games (Powell 2017; keep tabs on their victims, hacking into Benedickt 1991). personal devices, cars, homes, and While this may be true in some cases, the offices. Threatening anonymous emails internet has its own darker aspects. and messages to victims and employers Sociologists argue that rigid gender roles and full of lies, accusing victims of stereotypes experienced during face to face misdeeds and offenses (Spitzberg, communications can be changed via digital 2002; Borrajo et al, 2015; Craven et al, means ( Beck-Gernsheim, 2002; Cooper, 2006; Fraser et al, 2010). Delmonico, & Burg, 2000) but physically What is common in all is they seek to insult, existing and culturally sanctioned power humiliate, and silence victims and diminish structures, inequalities, and domination have their online participation (Powell and Henry spilled online. 2016; Brody and Vangelisti, 2017). Despite Easy accessibility, freedom, anonymity, and the victim's efforts to remove from one site, lack of accountability has led to increased these fester and return online like the head of discrimination and sexism online