Are we bullies? Well we must be thinking no, but when on any post on internet i go through comment sections, i find out that there is strolling, mud slinging, harrassements of different kinds ,even in name of awareness people cut,copy ,paste there personal (messenger) conversation and post it on there wall, targetting a person, even bad mouthing (Calling someone stupid, rude, insulting on public platform) , this all accounts to #Cyber bullying. So when an adult is involved, it may mean cyber harassment or cyber stalking, a crime that can have legal consequences and also include imprisonment. And how many of us do this, get emotionally involved on public platform when something is unacceptable to us without thinking about the consequences. With technology available 99% people are involved in it without realizing they are becoming criminals and realizing the legal consequences.We don’t have a right to cause any pain to any person for whatever reason.
In 2013, Indian Parliament made amendments to the Indian Penal Code and introduced cyberstalking as a criminal offence.
Source:https://thelogicalindian.com/good-to-know/government-awareness/report-cyber-bullying/?amp#referrer=https://www.google.com
Just because someone is not reporting doesn’t mean it is not an offense.
Now question comes about legal reporting, one can simply file an FIR or contact his/personal lawyer who will help him/her out. one can take help from this site also. :https://nyaaya.in/topic/online-abuse.
Now comes the question of forgive and forget , unfortunately this is the weapon abuser uses, he/she abuses and thinks he will not be legally handled with, it is no criminal offense and people around make it sound easy and quote religion for other person and harass him/her more by asking him/her to forgive and forget,and justify by the offence, and we forget that we are empowering the abuser. It is important to take a stand, we need to be educated about it. And we need to know reporting will not bring shame to your family, all you need is strength to stand against the abuser. And regarding religious teaching : And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever. They indeed are the Faasiqoon (liars, rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)” [al-Noor 24:4].
The wisdom behind the hadd punishment for slander.
1-It prevents accusations of immorality.
2-It protects people’s honour from being transgressed and protects their reputations from being tarnished.
3-It prevents enmity and grudges; wars may break out because of slurs against people’s honour.
4-It prevents such things becoming part of public opinion and protects people from having to hear them
5-It prevents the spread of rumours among the believers, because when there are a lot of accusations and such talk becomes common and is easily spoken of, the foolish become bold enough to commit such actions.
So it is wise to prescribe the hadd punishment for slander so that people will refrain from accusing one another of immoral actions.
This is the need of the hour, we need to refrain ourselves from going online and writing anything without thinking about the consequences. On the same time we should be informed enough about our rights.
P.S , This post is an information post in general to aware people.
Saima Nazir Baba can be reached at saimanazirbaba@yahoo.com
