An occurrence in Punjab startled the country when it was reported that recordings of around 60 female college students having a shower were released and quickly disseminated online.
As of July 2022, there are around 5 billion internet users globally, 932 million of whom are Indians according to Statista.com.
This increased availability of Internet access has changed how individuals pick mates, and people are increasingly using technology to foster interactions with others, whether friendly, sexual, or romantic (Rosenfeld and Thomas, 2012). Sexting, the act of creating and spreading sexual photographs using technology, has received more attention recently, in part due to an increase in the number of young people engaged in this behaviour.
Early studies on Internet sexuality, or cybersex, emphasized its fantasy-like nature and focused on how unlawful and deviant behaviour was carried out online (Durkin & Bryant, 1995). Unfortunately, as connectedness has risen, technology has given individuals new tools to commit interpersonal abuse, including technology-facilitated sexual assault. According to some research, even if it is not fundamentally unlawful, consensual sexting has the potential to be a harmful practice and a threshold for exposure to riskier types of victimization such as sextortion, online grooming, or cyberbullying.
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When sexually explicit or personal images (photos or videos) are shared without the subject’s consent, various terms are used interchangeably, including “revenge porn,” “non-consensual sexting,” “involuntary porn,” and “non-consensual pornography” (Citron and Franks, 2014; Franks, 2015). In some situations, the victim took the image themselves (a “selfie”) or permitted someone else to photograph them, but not for dissemination. In other cases, images have been edited by adding the victim’s face or name to an already existing pornographic image, or private photos have been taken from the victim’s computer or mobile device. In other cases, naked or semi-naked photographs of victims who were asleep, unconscious, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or who had been sexually assaulted were taken, transferred via peer networks, or uploaded online.
Read More: Sexual abuse, types and related disorders
The invention of photography likely provided the first opportunity for non-consensual pornography. One of the earliest known incidents occurred in the 1950s when Marilyn Monroe agreed to be photographed naked only for the images to be published on the cover of Playboy magazine without her knowledge in 1953. Monroe is thought to have committed suicide later by overdosing on barbiturate medicine prescribed to treat her anxiety and depression, which had been exacerbated in part by the humiliation she felt as a result of the Playboy publication. Though non-consensual pornography was initially popularised through photography, the internet has expanded its reach and the number of individuals who are vulnerable to its worst effects.
Studies on “sexting” show that peer pressure or male partner pressure makes young women more prone than young men to send explicit images of themselves through a mobile device or another manner (Drouin et al., 2015; Ringrose et al., 2012). Also, the majority of non-consensual pornography is intended for women where between 60 to 70 per cent of the victims are women (Kitchen, 2015; see also Ruvalcaba & Eaton, 2020). Female victims of Gender-based crimes may also face further criticism and hatred as a result of their perceived involvement in the crime.
Non-consensual pornography frequently results in extreme misery. Research indicates that it is similar to harassment and can be even more pernicious and pervasive, especially given that the offender has a worldwide audience (Kitchen, 2015). In research on the mental health consequences, Bates discovered that many non-consensual pornography victims suffer from trust issues, low self-esteem, PTSD, anxiety, sadness, and a loss of control. Many victims resort to destructive coping techniques such as binge drinking, self-medication, denial, and obsession. Furthermore, 51% of the victims were also found to be having suicidal thoughts (Bates, 2017). In India, non-consensual pornography-based cybercrime is on the rise. According to a survey conducted by the NGO Cyber and Law Foundation, 27% of internet users between the ages of 15 and 40 are exposed to the crime of revenge porn. Even though it has become a common offence, the Indian Penal Code of 1860 does not directly address revenge porn.
Because the law itself does not specifically recognize revenge porn as a crime, statistics about these incidents are not available in India. The amount of obscene content disseminated online, however, increased by 104% between 2012 and 2014 alone, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau. Only 35% of women report being victimized online, according to a 2010 cybercrime report. Additionally, it says that 18.3% of women weren’t even aware they had been victimized.
According to National Crime Record Bureau data, 569 of the 5,917 cybercrimes documented in 2015-2016 were motivated by “sexual exploitation,” while 448 were motivated by “causing dishonour”. In contrast, no convictions for violations under Section 66E (Violation of Privacy) of the IT Act occurred during this period, and 90.6% of the cases are still pending.
Non-consensual pornography is becoming increasingly prevalent as more Indians, particularly young individuals are gaining access to the internet. The complexity of revenge porn and its wide-ranging ramifications frequently impair victims’ personal and professional life, leading to inappropriate coping mechanisms and a range of mental health concerns, including suicidal ideation.
Because of such severe and long-term consequences, additional studies need to be conducted to gain a better understanding and raise awareness, especially in a country where many incidents are not even documented. Furthermore, therapists and counsellors must be better equipped to assist clients who might have gone through or are going through such experiences.
