These are the lines of a song sung by Balendra Shah about a year ago – ‘Let the government speak, it is not a crime – let the court open its mind.’ This expression powerfully presents the feeling of freedom. The same Shah, who is also the composer and singer of this song, is now the Prime Minister of Nepal.

Expressing one’s thoughts, feelings and experiences is a fundamental right in any democratic society. But ironically! Raising one’s voice in today’s society is becoming risky. Especially the digital age has given a place and medium to raise one’s voice on social media, but the same platform has recently become an unparalleled arena for violence, hatred and threats.

Especially on social media, women have had to face extremely unbridled and insulting behavior because of expressing their opinions. Freedom of expression is equal to everyone. If there is disagreement in opinions, there is a means of debate. But instead of discussion and debate, there is a trend of threats to personal life, character assassination, obscene abuse and even rape.

The problem of cyber violence through social media in Nepal has been increasing rapidly in recent years. According to the Nepal Cyber ​​Bureau, 19,730 cyber crime cases were registered across the country in the fiscal year 2079/80, of which 8,745 complaints were filed by women. This is about 44 percent of the total complaints, which clearly indicates that women are seriously affected by cyber violence.

The situation is even more worrying when compared to the previous year's data. In the fiscal year 2078/79, 4,590 women filed complaints, while in 2079/80 this number has increased to 8,745. This shows an increase of almost double, or more than 90 percent, in a single year.

This trend has continued in recent years as well. In the fiscal year 2080/81, about 9,000 women filed complaints, while in 2081/82, about 8,040 complaints were registered. These figures convey two important messages. On the one hand, women are now gradually starting to raise their voices for their rights, while on the other hand, the problem of cyber violence is still serious and increasing.

Social abuse

After the arrest of UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, intense cyber bullying began against Amisa Parajuli for raising her voice on the streets in favor of his release. Not only was she abused on social media, but there was also a planned attempt to assassinate her character. Being targeted in this way for expressing her views is a serious attack on freedom of expression. Ultimately, unable to bear the continuous mental pressure and insults, she was forced to approach the Cyber ​​Bureau for legal redress. This incident is not just the story of one person, but a clear indication of a dangerous trend to suppress those who raise their voices.

Some time ago, many women who come to the limelight, including singer Samiksha Adhikari, Alina Chauhan, actress Richa Sharma, became victims of abuse, character assassination and violence on social media. They were forced to retaliate by publicly sharing the names and social media links of their perpetrators, which in itself is a serious sign. The victims themselves had to fight for their safety and justice.

Renuka Baral was put under extreme mental pressure by asking, "Why didn't you cut off your ears?" after senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Balendra Shah expressed his intention to "cut off your ears" if he wins. This was not just a matter of criticism or disagreement; it was continuous abuse, insults and threats with the aim of weakening them mentally. Such behavior shows how in our society, every word spoken by women is twisted and attacked on them.

Why is the character of a woman the first to be attacked?

It seems that when women express their opinions or demand their rights on social media, the first attack is often on their character. The roots of this trend have been deeply rooted in the thinking and structure of our society for centuries. Attacks on women's character are not just a result of personal disagreement or anger, it is a reflection of our social values, patriarchal structure and behavior.

The first reason is the patriarchal mentality. In traditional Nepali society, women are seen as associated with 'dignity', 'respect' and 'decency'. When a woman expresses her opinions openly, challenges or criticizes established norms, some people or groups in society attack her character in an attempt to silence her. This is exactly what is happening now.

The second reason is the discomfort with women's independent voice. Many people think that it is not acceptable for women to speak openly, demand their rights or express their disagreement. When they disagree, instead of debating or having a healthy dialogue, they choose to make insulting comments about personal behavior. This creates fear and mental pressure in women and also silences other women.

The third reason is the ease and impunity of social media. People are easily tempted to use insulting words due to the creation of fake IDs on social media and weak legal action. The negative tendency of criminals is strengthened when they do not see the immediate consequences of attacks on women and the scope of criminal action. This is why violence against women's character is increasing on social media.

The fourth reason is the lack of social culture. Even in the family, school and community, the culture of civilized debate and respectful dialogue is not sufficiently developed. Expressing criticism immediately increases the tendency to turn into personal character and insult. This suppresses women's freedom and open voice. Thus, attacking women's character is not just a personal outrage, it is a reflection of deep social thinking. To change this, it is essential to bring about a change in thinking, culture and behavior along with legal action.

Impact on society

Women need to muster great courage to speak up against violence. The behavior of suppressing the victim forces not only the victim but also many other potential voice-speakers to remain silent. When a woman is humiliated, threatened or mentally harassed for expressing her opinion on social media, other women also start suppressing their voice for fear of ‘speak up’.

Personal attacks, character assassination, obscene comments and threats of sexual violence targeting women when they express their opinions, share their experiences or raise their voice on any issue have become commonplace. This is not only making women, but the entire society unhealthy. This makes women who are experiencing real injustice, violence or discrimination unable to speak up in public. As a result, injustice remains hidden, criminals become more courageous, and the justice system begins to appear weak. How to reduce it?

Violence on social media is not just a personal problem. It deeply affects the moral structure and democratic values ​​of our society. When hatred and violence begin to seem normal, the culture of tolerance, respect, and dialogue begins to weaken. The new generation is also at risk of learning the same behavior. Which in the long run makes society more intolerant and violent.

It is necessary to understand that attacking the character and existence of others in the name of freedom of expression is not freedom, but its misuse. Serious initiatives are needed at both the government and social levels to solve this problem. The government should effectively implement cybercrime laws. Abuse, threats, and expressions of sexual violence on social media should be considered serious crimes and the perpetrators should be prosecuted. Victims should be able to file complaints easily, their privacy should be protected, and justice should be sought quickly.

Change is also inevitable at the social level. Respectful dialogue, gender equality, and digital etiquette should be taught in families, schools, and communities. It is important to develop a culture of civilized debate even when disagreeing. We should be able to create awareness that ‘you can disagree with someone else’s opinion, but you cannot insult them.’ Disagreement can be with ideas, not with people.

The role of the media and informed and listening elders in society is also important. They should produce responsible content, spread positive messages, and openly oppose hateful behavior. When leaders in society identify wrong as wrong, it has a positive impact on the wider public.

Responsibility of family and society

Violence, threats, and abusive expressions on social media are not just personal problems in our society, but also affect the entire lifestyle and culture. The mental and social violence that occurs especially when women raise their voices makes the role of the family and society even more important. If the family and society fail to develop the right values ​​and norms, violence will continue to occur not only digitally, but also in real life.

The role of the family is very important in this. The home is the first school where children and the young generation learn behavior, culture, and lifestyle. The home should be able to teach empathy and respect. Everyone's thoughts, opinions, and feelings are different. When you disagree with the opinions of others, you should be encouraged to express yourself in a civilized manner.

For example, in a family, not responding rudely when a child expresses his or her point of view and listening to his or her thoughts is a positive culture. On the other hand, if a member of the family is facing such social violence, the family should create a comfortable environment for the member who is the victim of violence to express his or her views in a safe environment.

The role of society is equally important. Schools, communities, and the media should promote positive values ​​and responsible behavior. Society must develop a healthy environment of equality, justice, and debate. Teachers, local leaders, journalists, and socially influential people need to set an example of responsible expression and respectful behavior. When children and young people learn the culture of tolerance and respect at home and in the community, violence and psychological pressure on social media can be reduced in the long run. Its direct impact is seen in creating an environment of justice, equality, and cooperation in society.

The main thing to understand and explain is that social media is not just science and technology - it is a reflection of our thinking, behavior, and culture. If we fail to develop the right culture in our families and society, the cycle of abuse of freedom of expression will always repeat.