Cyber Abuse is as Serious as Physical Harassment: Charu Sinha
Hyderabad: Telangana Women Safety Wing (TWSW) has decided to intensify its “Stand With It” campaign to every nook and corner, with special focus on rural and underserved areas. The campaign, launched a few days ago, mainly targets men and demands that they take responsibility for ensuring a safe public and digital space for women, rather than remaining silent spectators.
“Our effort is to make this a decentralized model across the state,” TWSW Director General of Police Charu Sinha said. The initiative’s key strategies include integration at the Panchayat level, collaborating with rural governance and community structures. Using local supporters, the wing will identify and train teachers, youth leaders, SHG-affiliated community influencers and officials to highlight the importance of the campaign.
They would later organize community meetings, gram sabhas and mandal-level engagements emphasizing women’s “Speaking Up and Standing Up”. Efforts are ongoing to partner with NSS and NCC organisations, schools, youth networks and NGOs in the campaign.
According to Charu Sinha, cyber harassment is a real and growing threat and policing needs to evolve rapidly; Cyber cells, digital evidence procedures and coordination with platforms are part of this evolution. However, the most important point that women need to understand is that cyber harassment is not a minor incident. Online harassment and disrespect is like real physical abuse offline.
“If you hesitate to report, it won’t stop. Remember that evidence is important, so take screenshots, preserve chats and connections, don’t delete messages. Reporting can definitely stop repeated harm and abuse. Many online abusers hide behind the cloak of anonymity and escalate when they think there will be no consequences,” he said.
“When support is available, you can approach us or any police station or women police station or cyber crime police station. Telangana Women Security Wing, with its survivor-centric approach, stands for confidentiality and respectful treatment that will be provided at all times,” he explained.
Responding to a question about how women in rural areas often hesitate to file complaints, Charu Sinha said: “Our strategy should reduce fear and increase trust. Community-based trust building is also needed, as well as regular awareness meetings with women and families on rights, what counts as harassment and how to get help from local women’s safety help desks, familiar community intermediaries, maintaining confidentiality and ensuring open communication that complaints will be respectful and privacy-protective.”
Steps to take if anyone witnesses harassment in public, workplaces or online
* Consider security first. If there is immediate danger, call 100/112
* If safe, note the vehicle number, location, time and description. Only take video if you feel safe, it helps with evidence and share with police
* In workplaces: Report to Internal Committee (POSH), HR, supervisor and support written complaints. Encourage witnesses to testify
* Online: Take screenshots, save URLs, report on the platform and file cyber complaints
* Do not forward malicious content, jokes or memes, preserve evidence and report
