NEW DELHI: Several women who took part in recent anti-government protests in India have stated they were subjected to online abuse, threats and doxxing after posting videos and messages in support of the demonstrations.
The protests, organised by the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), drew widespread attention across social media, with participants sharing memes, satirical videos and updates from rallies. The movement later contributed to the resignation of India’s education minister.
According to the women, the online backlash intensified after police used tear gas and baton charges to disperse demonstrators attempting to march towards Parliament on 20 July.
Delhi Police said 60 protesters and 118 police personnel were injured during the clashes, while CJP claimed the number of injured protesters was significantly higher.
Several women told the media they received abusive messages, rape threats and sexually explicit comments after their videos gained traction online. Some also said that edited images of them were circulated on social media, while others said strangers attempted to identify their colleges, personal details and family members.
ALSO READ: India’s Opposition Party Launches Protest Movement to Resist Modi Govt’s E20 Fuel Policy
One content creator said she was subjected to repeated slut-shaming after criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks following the protests. Another student said anonymous users threatened to have her arrested and warned that she would “be taught a lesson” after her protest videos appeared on national television.
Other women said the abuse forced them to make their social media accounts private, archive protest-related posts and block messages from unknown users. Some also expressed concern that relatives had urged their families to remove online content due to fears of possible consequences.
One student activist said that edited images falsely portrayed her in an attempt to discredit her, while another said she was targeted with gender-based insults despite male protesters expressing similar views without facing comparable abuse.
