W Nginyeih Konyak, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women and Justice Lanusungkum Jamir, Chairman, Nagaland State Human Rights Commission seen with resource persons and participants during the State Level Awareness Program on “Prevention of Stalking & Cyber Stalking” at SIRD Auditorium, Kohima on July 15.
NSCW warns of digital intrusion in Nagaland
Morung Express News
Kohima | July 15
For generations, while Naga society is traditionally viewed as a safe haven where communities protect one another, guarding physical perimeters like villages, homes, and public streets, W Nginyeih Konyak, Chairperson, Nagaland State Commission for Women (NSCW) on Wednesday stated that, “today, however every individual carries an open gateway to the entire world right in their pocket.”
Delivering the keynote address at the State Level Awareness Program on “Prevention of Stalking & Cyber Stalking” at SIRD Auditorium on July 15, she remarked that while the rapid expansion of mobile connectivity has brought immense opportunities, “it has also brought an invisible, borderless threat directly into the private sanctuaries of our women and children.”
Underscoring that stalking is no longer just a shadow following someone down a dark street in Kohima, but is now a persistent, digital intrusion following victims directly into their homes, living inside their smartphones, and disrupting their peace 24 hours a day, she asserted that, “these are modern plagues, singular, urgent, and deeply critical to the fabric of our society” that require building an unshakeable defence against the growing threats of stalking and cyber stalking.
Pointing out that the psychological toll of cyber stalking is devastating, creating “deep anxiety, constant fear, and strips individuals of their sense of personal agency, and a gross violation of fundamental human rights”, she urged for localized campaign to teach basic digital hygiene across every district, school, town, wards and village council.
“Our young women must be taught how to actively manage their digital footprints, lock down privacy settings, and recognize tracking software”, she stated.
According to the latest Crime in India Report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), she further highlighted that Nagaland proudly retains the lowest rate of crime against women with 56 cases among all States and Union Territories in India.
Stating that this statistic is not an accident, she maintained that, “it is a direct reflection of our cultural heritage” reflecting the traditional Naga societal framework that naturally emphasizes community protection, respect, and communal security for women.
“We honor this position, and we commend our community leaders and law enforcement for maintaining this baseline of physical safety”, she said. However she pointed out that these low physical crime statistics hide a dangerous, emerging paradox. “While our physical streets remain statistically among the safest in the nation, our digital spaces are becoming increasingly hazardous”, she said while pointing out that, “we are seeing a distinct, localized upward trend in Special and Local Laws (SLL) violations, driven heavily by electronic and digital misconduct.”
Citing a case study, she said that it also highlights a brutal reality of cyber stalking rarely being an isolated event. “It is an entry point for identity theft, extortion, and profound emotional trauma”, she asserted while emphasizing that, “it also demonstrates that our traditional community safety nets fail when the attack happens in a digital realm that families do not see or understand.”
In this context, she further drew the importance of the role of Educational Institutions in addressing this crisis while asserting that they cannot be passive bystanders, but must serve as the primary vanguard against digital harassment.
She advocated that every institution must establish clear, anonymous, and trusted reporting mechanisms where students can seek help without fear of academic exposure or administrative judgment, and that every student must graduate knowing that unauthorized tracking, morphing images, or sending unsolicited messages are serious criminal offenses under the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Further urging for Strengthening Legal Enforcement and Cyber Infrastructure, she said that law enforcement agencies must continue to strengthen specialized infrastructure, such as the State Cyber Crime Police Station Headquarters [CyberStation]. Appealing every rightful citizen to eradicate the culture of silence and shaming, she urged on the need to completely dismantle the culture of victim blaming.
While technology is a permanent fixture of our future, she reminded that, “Our task today is to ensure that the historical safety we have enjoyed on our physical lands is completely replicated in our digital networks.”
“We must transform our high desire for digital safety into concrete, daily digital defence practices”, she said while calling for a shared commitment “to protect one another, educate our communities, and enforce the law with absolute determination” to ensure that Nagaland remains safe, secure, and free from fear-on every street, in every home, and on every screen.
The inaugural session was chaired by Kekhrienuo Meyase, Member, NSCW while Gracy Aye, State Mission Co-ordinator, Mission Shakti Department of Social Welfare moderated the technical session that deliberated on topics such as “Understanding Stalking, Cyber Stalking, Legal Provisions & Reporting Mechanism”, “Digital Safety & Prevention Measures”, “Psychological Impact & Support System”, and “Legal Rights of Women”.
Resource persons included Vizhatuo Michael Yhome, Addl. Superintendent of Police, Cyber Crime, PHQ, Atoshe Lohe, Principal Forensics Analyst NIELIT, Kohima, Themmungla Raman Longkumer, Clinical Psychologist, The Cloud Room and Apila Sangtam, Legal Consultant, NSCW while Akokla Longchar, Member, NSCW proposed the vote of thanks.
