Cyber ​​crimes continue to plague women

• In September alone, PCSW received 979 complaints
• 15,895 complainants out of 40,280 as of November 2020 did not wish to proceed with the case
• 41% of complaints related to the publication of falsified images with personal data
• The absence of witnesses led to a delay in the trial; the out-of-court settlement resulted in an unsatisfactory conviction

Neela Akter (not her real name), a housewife, received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number last week.

The sender demanded money after sending her personal photos, saying he would share them with her relatives and on social media if she refused to pay the amount.

A shocked and embarrassed Neela insisted that she had not shared the photos with anyone and they were only stored on her mobile phone. She immediately filed a general diary and complaint with the Police Headquarters’ “Police Cyber ​​Support for Women (PCSW)”.

After carrying out operative and search actions, the employees of the PKSZ managed to detain the suspect. Investigators reported that the suspect — a courier — managed to gain access to Nila’s phone during the delivery of the goods.

He claimed that he needed to verify the One Time Password (OTP). When he got hold of her phone, he was able to get Neela’s email account information and thus gain access to her cloud storage.

Neela’s case is just one in a thousand, as women increasingly become victims of cybercriminals. Although many women are coming forward to report or file complaints, the incidence of such cases is still on the rise.

However, many are reluctant to file complaints due to pressure from family or society. Some even take cases out of fear and shame.

Law enforcement officers claim that the lack of investigation into these cases gives criminals the opportunity to avoid legal consequences.

Legal experts, however, said the system lacks victim-oriented support and specialized lawyers to handle such cases, further discouraging women from seeking justice.

PCSW data shows a marked increase in complaints.

At least 630 complaints were filed in August alone, and the number rose to 979 the following month.

Since the establishment of PCSW on November 16, 2020, until September 30 this year, 40,280 complaints have been registered.

Between 16 November 2020 and 15 November 2022, PCSW received 22,304 complaints. From November 16, 2022 to September 30 this year, another 17,976 complaints were filed.

Of the total number of complainants, 15,895 chose not to pursue legal proceedings after the initial intervention by PCSW and the arrest of the suspects.

Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general of PHQ, told The Daily Star: “Many victims refrain from filing complaints or going through legal processes due to social pressure and fear of being public. Criminals exploit this fear, which is why these crimes continue.

“We are fully committed to supporting victims and resolving these cases within the law … But victims need to come forward.”

The PCSW database highlights that 41 percent of complaints are about harassment through fake images and personal details posted on social media; 18 percent relate to the hacking of accounts in social networks; another 18 percent refer to blackmail with unwanted photos; and nine percent related to the creation of fake social media profiles with victims’ photos and personal information.

Lata Begum (not her real name) recently came across a Facebook profile using her photos and details. Various pornographic photos with the image of her face were placed in the profile. She also lodged a complaint with PCSW.

He then arrested Khairuzzaman Dalim and Rasel Molla, and investigators said those arrested were her neighbors after a land dispute with the victim’s family.

Human rights activist Salma Ali told The Daily Star that there is no accountability and proper monitoring for crimes against women that take place in cyberspace.

“Victims don’t come forward because there is no victim-focused support. They are victimized even when they file complaints,” she said, adding that the police or legal systems also lack the expertise to handle such cases.

“Lawyers (here) don’t have that kind of experience because such cases require different kinds of evidence to convict during the trial,” said Salma, also the executive director of the National Women Lawyers Association of Bangladesh.

She also said that the legal process takes a long time and as they say, “justice delayed is justice denied.”

According to judicial sources, the Dhaka Cyber ​​Tribunal was able to deliver verdicts in only 213 cases out of 2,141 filed between 2014 and 2022.

Of them, the accused in 162 cases were acquitted by December 2022. At least 1,600 cases were pending in the Dhaka Cyber ​​Tribunal till September this year, the sources added.

Rafiqul Islam, a prosecutor at the Dhaka Cyber ​​Tribunal, told a reporter about delayed trials and low convictions: “One of the main reasons for delayed trials and poor convictions is the lack of witnesses in court. in many cases, victims reach an out-of-court settlement.”

However, he said he does not think there is a shortage of expert lawyers to handle cybercrime cases. “We now have experienced lawyers in the court,” adding that measures are being taken to resolve all cases as soon as possible.