Africa-Press – Uganda. Leaders in Mukono District in central Uganda have decried the increasing cases of cyber harassment, especially targeting women online.
The district speaker Ms Betty Nakasi said the state should ensure that morality and sanity is preserved among women as many have suffered violence online but no action taken by the relevant authorities.
“People should support women abused on social media as they have a right to be safe online,” Ms Nakasi said during a training on online harassment organized by the Unwanted Witness Uganda.
According to her, it is absurd when women report such cases to relevant authorities, like police and nothing is done or in some cases they are criminalized and blamed for all the mischief that has happened to them.
“These women have never posted nude pictures online; this is mostly done by their ex- friends. Unfortunately when they report to police, they are instead charged for posting nudes on social media and being a public nuisance,” Ms Nakasi said before urging police to always charge the men who allegedly take women for granted by posting their nudes pictures online.
“Men are the first to violators of women’s rights online,” she said.
Mr Mike Ssegawa, a councillor at Mukono Municipality and a board member at Unwanted Witness said women are now reluctant to post their pictures on social media because of fear of being harassed.
Unwanted Witness director, Ms Dorothy Mukasa addressing leaders on online GBV in Mukono
“Most of the women are abused when they go online and this has led some to abandon social media,” he said.
According to the Mukono Central Division chairman, Mr Peter Kabanda, women have confessed to abuses and temptations on the internet.
“Most of the violations indicate there has been abuse online whereby they have been made to feel uncomfortable, abused and targeted and therefore making them fear to stay online,” he said.
Citing studies conducted by different researchers, the director Unwanted Witness, Ms Dorothy Mukasa said 27 percent of women have been violated and urged police to always help handle their cases fairly instead of detaining them.
“It’s not right to deny these women who report at police their rights. Some have committed suicide after failing to get help,” Ms Mukasa said.
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