Online crimes against women, children rising in digital ecosystem: Union home secretary

New Delhi: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Friday said online crimes against women and children are rising in an increasingly digital ecosystem and asked states and other stakeholders to step up efforts for a stronger and more coordinated response to tackle the issue, an official statement said.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the 'National Dialogue on Online Crimes Against Women and Children (OCWC)' here. The event was organised by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

"The Union Home Secretary highlighted the growing challenges posed by online crimes in an increasingly digital ecosystem and emphasised the need for strengthening institutional capacities at the State and Union Territory-level to combat such offences effectively," the statement said.

Mohan said states and Union Territories must develop robust, specialised units and coordinated response mechanisms to ensure timely investigation, victim support and swift action against perpetrators.

He also directed law enforcement agencies of all states and UTs to accord priority to online crimes against women and children and ensure prompt and coordinated response to such cases.

The secretary further urged IT intermediaries to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Information Technology Act and relevant rules, and called upon all stakeholders to work collectively towards ensuring a safe and secure digital ecosystem for women and children.

The inauguration also marked the launch of the 'Master Trainers Induction Programme for States and Union Territories on Online Crimes Against Women and Children', aimed at creating a national pool of trained officers who will lead capacity-building initiatives in their respective regions.

According to the statement, the programme seeks to equip selected officers with specialised knowledge, investigative techniques and best practices to tackle emerging cyber threats targeting women and children.

These officers will further train law enforcement personnel at the state and district levels, strengthening the country’s response framework to such crimes.

The dialogue saw participation from senior officials of state and UT law enforcement agencies, representatives of various ministries and departments of the Government of India, social media intermediaries, internet service providers, academia, civil society organisations, legal experts and student representatives.

During the event, discussions focused on emerging trends and patterns in online crimes against women and children, strengthening investigative frameworks and digital forensics capabilities, improving victim support and reporting mechanisms, enhancing coordination with digital platforms for timely removal of harmful content, and promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration for prevention and awareness.