NEW DELHI: Women who participated in India’s youth-led “Cockroach” protests are facing a wave of online abuse and doxxing, days after the movement helped force the country’s education minister from office.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement that built much of its support through social media, mobilised thousands of predominantly young Indians over examination irregularities and wider concerns affecting students.
Tens of thousands joined a July 20 march towards Parliament in New Delhi, where police used tear gas and batons after protesters attempted to move past security restrictions.
The movement subsequently ended its nationwide agitation after several of its demands were addressed, but women who participated say they are now facing another battle online.
Women targeted online
Female protesters have reported receiving sexually abusive messages, threats and calls for them to be identified or arrested. Some social media accounts have also circulated cropped or digitally manipulated photographs of women who participated in the demonstrations.
Reports indicate that some women have made their social media profiles private, deleted protest-related content or changed account details because of concerns about being identified.
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Several protesters said the backlash was particularly gendered, with women subjected to sexualised abuse and attacks targeting their appearance and character.
The online targeting follows a movement in which social media played a major role. Memes, short videos and satirical content helped the CJP mobilise young supporters and turn participants into recognisable online figures.
Legal and online pressure
The demonstrations initially centred on examination irregularities before developing into a broader youth protest movement.
Women were prominent in the July demonstrations, with some telling media at the time that they had joined despite concerns about how their families might react.
Human Rights Watch subsequently called for an investigation into the conduct of security forces during the July 20 demonstrations, saying tear gas and batons had been used against largely peaceful protesters.
Although the major street demonstrations have ended, reports of online harassment show that the consequences continue for some participants, particularly young women whose faces and videos became widely visible during the movement.
