IMPACT OF CYBER BULLYING AND BODY SHAMING ON THEMENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN

INTRODUCTION:

Nowadays, the growth of social media and the Internet has played an essential role in people’s lives in their career, education, communication and all the other activities of their life, starting from morning till they go to bed. Social media has played a significant role in empowering women, providing them with unique career opportunities, such as becoming social media influencers, fashion designers, and online shop owners. While engaging in these online career opportunities, they may often face social media harassment and cyberbullying, which includes ridiculous comments, memes and posts about their body structure, face, complexion, etc. The effect of cyberbullying and body shaping has spread all around the world, from school to the workplace. This cyberbullying hurts their mental health and self-esteem, which sometimes has also resulted in taking their own life. Even after all this, the perpetrators are roaming around freely due to the inefficient implementation of cybersecurity laws. They continue to harass the victim on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Body shaming has not only existed on the Internet but also in the real world. They often lower the self-esteem of women and undermine their confidence, as a result of which many young girls, children and adults are pushed into a dark hole leading to depression and other psychological illnesses, and sometimes even pushed to commit suicide. To address these mental health challenges that are faced by the women the ministry of Health and Family welfare of the Government of India has established many schemes such as NMHP (National Mental Health Programme) which was started in the year 1982, Cyber law and IT Act,2000 Provisions relating to cyber harassment were also present in The Indian Penal Code, 1860 earlier, now replaced by The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Even though the Government has taken necessary steps, with the development of AI and other tools, it has become easy for perpetrators to escape from the clutches of the law. 

CYBERBULLYING

Cyberbullying has been defined as making intimidating and disrespectful comments, posts and memes about someone on the Internet via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms. It is often considered to be evil in society. Cyberbullying is the modern version of traditional bullying practices in digital form.

BODY SHAMING

Body shaming has become another evil of society. This has become closely linked with cyberbullying. Body shaming not only happens online, but it also exists in fundamental world interactions. Body shaming generally refers to making insensitive or derogatory comments about a person's body structure, weight, colour, etc, which has a harmful effect on the mental health of the person. It is one such form of harassment that has existed for many years around the world, especially against women. This affects women of all ages, ranging from school children to working women, all of whom have faced body shaming. 

IMPACT OF CYBER BULLYING AND BODY SHAMING

Cyberbullying and body shaming are considered to be a most critical factor that leaves a significant impact on the mental well-being of women. Many women who have faced such harassment suffer depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicidal thoughts. Their minds are filled with hopelessness and psychological distress. 

EFFECT ON SELF-ESTEEM

A person's self-esteem is considered one of the most critical aspects of human life. With confidence and self-esteem, a person can achieve anything and everything they set their mind to. However, the self-esteem of women, hard won through decades of reforms, feminist movements and efforts of numerous activists, is being lowered by the act of cyberbullying and body shaming. The media portrays ideal body shapes as standards, and women lose their confidence when they lack that shape or complexion portrayed as “Ideal”. This makes women easy targets for trolling and bullying. Some of the examples of cyberbullying are deepfake pornography, oppressive ways of describing women, doxxing, sextortion, etc. 

LEGAL FRAMEWORK AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

To address these challenges, many international instruments and legal frameworks were adopted. International instruments such as the United Nations Convention against cybercrime, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024, and the Budapest Convention on cybercrime, etc. These international instruments provide a framework for addressing cyber misconduct.

LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN INDIA

Body shaming in India has a long, complex history. With the emergence of the internet and social media platforms, it has combined with cyberbullying and other cyber harassment. It has taken a new shape that has a significant impact on the mental health of women. Women often do not come forward to file complaints against such harassment due to fear of harm to their reputation and the societal stigma. Many women are afraid of posting pictures because of the fear of being judged and the cyberbullying that sometimes comes with threats. These put the victim in post-traumatic stress disorders like depression, eating disorders, lack of confidence, etc. They also avoid social environments like school, college, and the workplace, which, in turn, affects their overall well-being. Such online harassment often creates suicidal thoughts in their minds and induces them to attempt to commit suicide. Some even end up with sleeping disorders like insomnia, having nightmares, etc. The Government of India has enacted various laws and frameworks to address these challenges and provide adequate treatment for victims. Some examples include the Information Technology Act, 2000. Even though it does not explicitly address cyberbullying, it implicitly provides for punishment for cyberbullying and cyber harassment, as set out in Sections 66A and 66E of the act. Apart from this, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Sections 76, 77, 78, 351, and 356, addresses various forms of harassment faced by women and makes such acts punishable. Cyberbullying and harassment also fall under the ambit of these provisions. The Government also provides the National Mental Health Programme and the District Mental Health Programme, along with the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, to protect mental well-being. 

FAME AND ITS HEAVY PRICE

Celebrities in India, including Indian cricketers and Actors, are constantly exposed to cyberbullying, body shaming and harassment. Rashmika Mandana, a popular Indian actress, was exposed to a deepfake scam. Bollywood Actress Sonakshi Sinha has been bodyshamed since her school days, and even former Miss World Aishwarya Rai was bodyshamed by online trolls. 

Kalandi Charan Lenka v State of Odisha (2017) SCC online Ori 52 

In this case, the victim was harassed by the perpetrator through obscene SMS messages on her and her father’s phones. A fake Facebook account was also created in her name, where morphed nude or semi‑nude photographs were uploaded, causing mental distress and reputational harm. The High Court held that a prima facie case under Section 67A of the IT Act was made out, but decided to grant bail with stringent conditions rather than keep the accused in continued custody.

State of Tamil Nadu v Suhas Katti (2004) C. No. 4680 of 2004

In this case, the Egmore court, Chennai, convicted the accused, laying down a strong foundation against cyberbullying by considering the harassment that he committed. This was  India’s first cybercrime conviction under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

MECHANISM AND SUPPORT

To cure the mental trauma of the victims, the following steps should be taken:

• Providing regular counselling and therapy

• Strengthening the victim’s support system within the family

• Creative awareness about the right way to use social media 

• Providing measures to report cyberbullying and body shaming

CONCLUSION

Cyberbullying and body shaming have a profound effect on the mental health of women; they should not be taken lightly. The online platforms should empower women to speak, not to silence them. An increase in depression, anxiety, sadness, etc, due to cyberbullying and body shaming may cause women to lose confidence in themselves. Every country should have a separate law for regulating the cyberbullying and body shaming of women, which they have to have an effective implementation mechanism along with the treatments that are to be provided to the victims of cyberbullying and body shaming.