Cyber stalking is a social evil: from the Indian women's perspective

We discuss the causes and impacts of selected cyber stalking cases against women in India as evidenced from the literature and conducted interviews. We find that the prevailing social and cultural value system and norms in India can prevent women from approaching police or registering legal complaints. The few studies to-date in the Indian context, indicate the high prevalence and serious impacts cyber stalking has on the victims’ psychological and physical state. Our work further confirms this. Moreover, interviewees describe secondary victimizations experienced via the actions of friends and relatives. We observe this to be a form of social punishment stemming from gender-related beliefs and attitudes that seem to be normative in India. These secondary victimizations described had far reaching, long term implications, exacerbating the already high levels of distress typically experienced during cases of cyber stalking.