8 Actions that you should take right away if you come across Cyberbullying

There is an outrage on internet over a chat group that objectified minor girls. A Delhi-based Instagram group named #boislockerroom shared morphed images of girls, most were minor, and purportedly made derogatory comments about their bodies. Few people have come against this group and are talking about how we as society has normalized toxic masculinity and rape culture.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_u2a_9JY_m/

While the debate about this group has heated up, it has also shed light on cyberbullying in India. In this article, we want to educate you about what you can do if you are a victim of cyberbullying.

As per the constitution of India, Cyberbullying is a criminal offence in our country. This means that any intentional or aggressive act of harassing someone on social media via SMS, E-mail or any other internet mediums is a punishable offence.

Here are 8 things that you can do if you are a victim of cyberbullying

1. You should immediately report the group/account/profile on the social media platform. Block the account and also ask your friends to report that particular account.

2. You can register an official complaint against the cyberbully on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. You can also file the complaint anonymously on the portal if you don’t want to give your personal details.

3. If you don’t know how to officially report the bullying account/ profile, you can contact the National Cyber Crime’s helpline number for guidance at 155260. The helpline number works from 9 am to 6 pm.

4. Telling this to your parents can be a task. It is important to tell your friends and family about the incident. You should not feel embarrassed in any way. It is the cyberbully who should be embarrassed to do what he/she has done.

5. We live in a world where evidence is very important to prove a crime. So, save the screenshots as evidence, record the date, and time and description of the incident.

6. Being the victim of cyberbullying can take a toll on your mental health. We want to let you know that there is nothing wrong in seeking professional help in such a situation.

7. It important for you to understand that cyberbullying is a criminal offence, and no one can victim-shame you. You should gather courage and talk about your experience. It might help other people who are going through the same situation.

8. We are putting last advice just for formality because we know you would have already done this. Change passwords of your account everywhere.

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