Mumbai: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has directed the Mumbai Police to take immediate action on complaints involving deepfake videos, morphed photographs, objectionable social media posts and defamatory content targeting women.
Rahatkar held a meeting with Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and senior police officials on Monday to review various issues concerning women's safety, including cybercrime, women's help desks, helplines, domestic violence and security in public places.
“Wherever cybercrimes or incidents of harassment against women are taking place, the Mumbai Police should take immediate steps. There is no reason for any laxity in such cases,” Rahatkar said.
She said the NCW tries to assist women who approach the commission with complaints on an immediate basis and stressed that complaints involving the misuse or manipulation of women's photographs and videos on social media must be handled sensitively and promptly.
Deepfake, morphing cases reviewed:
The meeting discussed the increasing misuse of women's photographs and videos on social media, including morphing, deepfakes and the circulation of objectionable content.
Rahatkar said such complaints should be assessed based on their nature and circumstances, following which prompt police action should be initiated. She also stressed the importance of preserving digital evidence and taking appropriate legal action, as cyber harassment can cause significant psychological and social distress to victims.
“Making indecent comments on social media and targeting women should not happen. We have asked the Mumbai Police to take immediate action in such instances,” she said.
Review of women's help desks and helplines: The NCW also sought details from Mumbai Police on whether women's help desks are functioning effectively at every police station and how quickly police respond to complaints received through women's helplines.
The commission reviewed how police deal with women who approach them for assistance and whether complaints are being handled in a sensitive manner. The functioning of women's police stations and help desks, particularly at sensitive police stations, was also discussed.
Rahatkar said the commission wanted to understand how quickly the police machinery reaches women in distress and emphasised the need for regular monitoring of the response mechanism.
Domestic violence complaints: The meeting also covered complaints of domestic violence received by Mumbai Police. Rahatkar stressed that such complaints must be handled sensitively and in coordination with relevant stakeholders.
She emphasised coordination between the police, One Stop Centres, District Legal Services Authorities, the Women and Child Development Department and Protection Officers under the domestic violence law to ensure that victims receive appropriate assistance.
Women's safety at public places: Women's safety in public places was another key issue discussed during the meeting. The NCW sought information about police patrolling, CCTV coverage, street lighting and monitoring of vulnerable locations. Rahatkar said women's safety is the responsibility of the police, the government as well as the community.
“Whether it is a protest or any other place, a woman should be safe everywhere. It is the responsibility of the police and the government, but people in the community also have a responsibility to ensure that women are not targeted or abused,” she said.
She also referred to ongoing protests where women have allegedly been targeted or abused and said complaints and allegations concerning women's safety need to be dealt with cautiously.
Focus on POSH awareness and training: The NCW also discussed implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, commonly known as the POSH Act.
Rahatkar said awareness about POSH committees remains low despite government offices and several corporate organisations having constituted such committees. “Merely forming a committee is not enough. The committee has to function and members need to be trained and made aware of the provisions,” she said.
She said the NCW has been encouraging organisations, irrespective of their size, to constitute Internal Committees, conduct training programmes and create greater awareness about workplace sexual harassment.
As part of her Mumbai visit, Rahatkar said the NCW conducted a programme in BKC and held a POSH-related meeting and workshop with ICICI Bank. Another programme was held at TISS in coordination with the NCW.
Police presentation, statistics shared:
During the meet at Mumbai Police headquarters, police officials made a presentation before the NCW and shared statistics and details regarding measures being taken for women's safety.
The commission reviewed police action on women's safety, functioning of help desks and helplines, response to domestic violence complaints, public-place security measures and handling of cybercrime complaints involving women.
Deepfake and morphing-related offences, gender sensitisation and the manner in which police officials respond to women seeking assistance were also discussed. Rahatkar said the NCW regularly interacts with various State Commissions for Women to increase awareness about women's rights and safety. The commission also reviews laws concerning women and senior citizens, and such reviews may result in recommendations for further action.
She said the NCW has also been engaging with different stakeholders and conducting training programmes to improve awareness and implementation of laws relating to women's safety and rights.
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