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New information and communication technology (ICT) has taken the world by storm. Whether you talk about the internet, multimedia or wireless technology, all are playing a vital role in shaping today’s economic, social and cultural dimensions.
However, while these advancements have made things easier, over the years they have also given rise to numerous problems. Especially when talking about cyber security, it is observed that women have been subjected to various modes of harassment, violence, abuse, aggression and indecent behavior through misuse of ICT.
ICT have brought in severe threat to women’s personal space and security. Traffickers use it very effectively in recruiting women over the internet. Since the cyber world offers a borderless domain, it provides advantage to these traffickers to threaten these women. This also facilitates such people in combating legislative measures in terms of women trafficking or sexual abuse. For example, to avoid Japan’s strict policy on pornography, traffickers took Japanese women to the island of Hawaii and made them perform live strip shows that were shown back in Japan via internet.
ICT is also explicitly being used in initiating live sex chats and broadcast of semi-nude or nude pictures of women without their consent. ICT has also helped sexual predators to hunt down women and children through chat rooms and instant messaging. These places are a safe arena for such people who do not archive messages or log files of their chats.
Video games are also another source perpetuating gender stereotypes, showing virtual scenes of murder, torture, rape, etc. in a glorified manner. Such games unfortunately are easily accessible to young adults and adolescents, giving rise to actual abuse of women.
Spyware and global positioning systems (GPS) are often used by husbands or boyfriends to keep an eye on their partners’ whereabouts with the help of their telephone communications and internet. This practice has given rise to more domestic violence against women.
However, the situation clearly puts in strong focus the need to combat the devastating hazards of ICT. Local and international anti-trafficking laws do not usually see the subject of ‘virtual’ trafficking of women’s images, information videos as a violated rule. But some measures have been initiated by concerned authorities and women’s rights organizations to address the issue. The Association for Progressive Communications Women’s Networking Support Program (APC-WNSP), has asked users to re-define their access and use of ICT. Many more organizations on the global level are also working for the cause and are addressing the following core points:
- Create awareness regarding ICT and its link to violence against women.
- Chalk out effective strategies to minimize online violence against women.
- Ensure safe use of ICT, creating a limit to freedom of expression, privacy and rights to access personal information.
The technology in itself is not wrong; it is its usage that causes harm. Many NGOs are using ICT to propagate information about women’s rights issues. Many bloggers use the internet to educate men and women alike about the problem. Digital Stories for Transformation, a South African initiative generates awareness about women abuse. Numerous women in India tell their stories of sexual abuse in the Blank Noise Project Blogathon to help others learn.
For the articulation of women’s rights and creating awareness, women themselves have to step up for it. It is also expected that women will refrain from over-use of ICT. Sharing excessive and false information, images and videos with almost everyone should be avoided. Everyone has to respect each other’s boundaries and refrain from violating privacies. 
Sabina Rizwan Khan is an environmental activist, working as Country Media Coordinator (Pakistan) for the South Asian Youth Action Climate Action Network (SAYCAN). She is also a certified youth trainer.
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