CYBER SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND LEGAL PERSPECTIVES IN THE POST-PANDEMIC ERA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i6.2024.3438Keywords:
Sexual Harassment, Online Education, Cyberspace, Higher Education, COVID-19Abstract [English]
The shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant challenges, including a rise in cybersexual harassment (CSH) in academic settings. The anonymity of the internet makes it difficult to identify harassers, posing unique challenges compared to in-person harassment. While CSH was a concern prior to the pandemic, the transition to predominantly virtual learning environments has exacerbated the issue, with online spaces offering new opportunities for harassment. This study explores the impact of CSH on higher education, particularly in the post-pandemic context, and examines the limitations of existing legal frameworks in addressing harassment in virtual environments. Although online education has improved accessibility, it has also introduced risks, such as cyber abuse. Existing sexual harassment laws offer some recourse for victims, but explicit regulatory measures for online spaces remain limited. Despite considerable research on CSH, its prevalence and impact within higher education have received insufficient attention, raising concerns as online education continues to grow. Addressing CSH is essential for fostering a safe and supportive online learning environment in the post-pandemic world
References
Adedoyin, O. B., & Soykan, E. (2020). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: The challenges and opportunities. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1813180 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1813180
Beaty, Z. (2019, December 8). Why the UK needs to take cyber-flashing seriously. The Sunday Times Style Magazine. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://www.thetimes.co.uk/magazine/style/why-the-uk-needs-to-take-cyber-flashing-seriously-73c0r02f9
Bothra, N. (2014). The sexual harassment of women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) act, 2013. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2498990 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2498990
Explained: Vishakha judgment on sexual harassment at workplace. (2013, November 22). DNA India. Retrieved December 4, 2018, from https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-explained-vishakha-judgment-on-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-1923309
Farrer, M. (2020, April 11). Singapore bans teachers using zoom after hackers post obscene images on screens. The Guardian. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/11/singapore-bans-teachers-using-zoom-after-hackers-post-obscene-images-on-screens
García-Morales, V. J., Garrido-Moreno, A., & Martín-Rojas, R. (2021). The transformation of higher education after the Covid disruption: Emerging challenges in an online learning scenario. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.616059 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.616059
Gierdowski, D. C. C., Brooks, D. C., & Galanek, J. (2020, October 21). Educause 2020 student technology report: Supporting the whole student. Educause. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://www.educause.edu/ecar/research-publications/student-technology-report-supporting-the-whole-student/2020/introduction
Halder, D. (2020, April 21). COVID-19: Online harassment of women during work from home. Karnavati University. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://karnavatiuniversity.edu.in/uid/blogs/2020/covid-19-online-harassment-of-women-during-work-from-home/
Heng, K., & Sol, K. (2020, December). Online learning during COVID-19: Key challenges and suggestions to enhance effectiveness. ResearchGate. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346719308_Online_learning_during_COVID-19_Key_challenges_and_suggestions_to_enhance_effectiveness
Indian Supreme Court. (1997). Vishaka guidelines (SC 384). Retrieved December 5, 2018, from https://www.prsindia.org/uploads/media/Sexual%20Harassment/Vishaka.pdf
Jhamtani, V. (2021). Increasing cyber threats during COVID-19 concerning e-education. The Law Brigade. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://thelawbrigade.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Vaibhav-Jhamtani-IPLR.pdf
Kiguwa, P., Nduna, M., Mthombeni, A., Chauke, P., Selebano, N., & Dlamini, N. (2015). Half of the picture: Interrogating common sense gendered beliefs surrounding sexual harassment practices in higher education. Agenda, 29(3), 106–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/10130950.2015.1052678 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10130950.2015.1052678
Kuklytė, J. (2018). Cybersexual harassment as ICT development consequences: A review. European Journal of Business Science and Technology, 4(2), 187–195. https://doi.org/10.11118/ejobsat.v4i2.137 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11118/ejobsat.v4i2.137
Mishra, L., Gupta, T., & Shree, A. (2020). Online teaching-learning in higher education during lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Educational Research, 1, 100012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2020.100012
Pokhrel, S., & Chhetri, R. (2021). A literature review on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning. Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), 133–141. https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481
Reed, E., Wong, A., & Raj, A. (2019). Cyber sexual harassment: A summary of current measures and implications for future research. Violence Against Women, 26(12–13), 1727–1740. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801219880959 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801219880959
Roy, S., & Brown, S. (2022). Higher education in India in the time of pandemic, sans a learning management system. AERA Open, 8, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211069527 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211069527
Schaefer-Ramirez, V. A. (2017). Cyber-harassment in higher education: A study of institutional policies. Pepperdine University. Retrieved May 28, 2022, from https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1779&context=etd
Sethi, D., & Ghatak, S. (2018). Mitigating cyber sexual harassment: An insight from India. Asian Themes in Social Sciences Research, 1(2), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.33094/journal.139.2018.12.34.43 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33094/journal.139.2018.12.34.43
Tejavath, H. (2020, October 17). Cyber sexual harassment laws in India (overview). Legal Bites - Law and Beyond. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://www.legalbites.in/cyber-sexual-harassment-laws-india/
University Grants Commission. (2016). Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher education institutions regulations, 2015. UGC. Retrieved from https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/1984034_UGC-letter-Rajpatra0001-(2).pdf
van Laer, T. (2013). The means to justify the end: Combating cyber harassment in social media. Journal of Business Ethics, 123(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1806-z DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1806-z
Vats, S. (2021, June 26). Women unsafe from male sexual harassers in online classrooms too. MK Stalin govt is fixing it. ThePrint. Retrieved November 10, 2021, from https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/women-unsafe-from-male-sexual-harassers-in-online-classrooms-too-mk-stalin-govt-is-fixing-it/684520/
Women - cyber laws in India. (n.d.). ISEA. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://www.infosecawareness.in/concept/cyber-laws-in-india/women
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Ms. Swati Chakraborty, Dr. Parvesh Lata
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
