Govt Officer Molestation Video: Must Women Rely On The Luck Of Viral Clips For Justice?

After the government officer molestation video from Uttar Pradesh went viral on the internet recently, it led to the arrest of the accused. The survivor claimed she had been facing abuse at his hands since 2018. But he reportedly evaded the law, even after she filed an official complaint since he was "well-connected" through his high status as an officer of the state.

It was only after a clip of the alleged harassment began doing rounds online, bringing the incident to the notice of social media users, that accused Iccharam Yadav was put behind bars. The survivor had used said video as evidence to file a complaint with the police on October 29. Read here.

The sequence of events prompts one to question the massive number of cases going undetected or uninvestigated at present for the countless women not having the privilege of a camera-phone and mobile data to share their experiences with the world. Should justice now rely on survivors' access to technology? Would the lack of technology thereof mean that women being raped or harassed or sexually violated cannot afford to be vocal?

How flimsy is the law, order and justice system if people in power cannot be held accountable for their actions until survivors have the strength, resources and facilities to challenge them?

Government Officer Molestation Video

Social media has sure served as an important bridge between seekers and providers of justice. Ever since the digital age has boomed, multiple videos that have managed to go viral have flagged incidents of brutality, ranging from assault to even murder.

Many, upon gaining mass attention, have caused outrage, leading netizens to push for and demand urgent action. Last month, for instance, an old video of a woman being stripped and assaulted in Karnataka led to the arrest of four people accused in the case.

In August, a woman in Tamil Nadu was arrested after a video of her mercilessly beating her toddler came to light. In another disturbing case that captured national attention earlier this year, a video of a Bangladeshi woman facing assault and rape at the hands of multiple perpetrators caused a stir, revealing a cross-border prostitution racket in south India.

Social media has connected India corner-to-corner and is often the last resort for survivors of injustice. There is immeasurable power in accumulating the support of thousands of people digitally. But putting this against the context of government data from 2018 that suggest 99 percent of ">sexual assault cases in India go unreported, is justice being dispersed equitably?

More troubling is the fact that top-placed government officers, meant to keep the system in check, are corrupt with an inclination for gender cruelty. Where should women seeking protection go when those whom we trust are the ones making it unsafe for us?

Views expressed are the author's own. 

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