Women who participated in CJP protests in India have faced systemic online harassment, including doxxing and rape threats [1, 2].
The targeting of these women highlights a growing trend of using digital intimidation to silence female dissenters in the public square. By turning visible protesters into targets, these campaigns aim to deter other women from engaging in political activism.
The harassment began in the weeks following the June 2024 protests in Delhi's Jantar Mantar area [1]. Protesters reported that their private information was leaked online, a practice known as doxxing, and they were subjected to slur-shaming and intimidation [1, 2]. Some women were even placed on televised "trials" by media personalities [2].
Right-wing groups and certain media anchors targeted these women because they became the visible faces of the movement [4, 5]. The goal of these actions was to intimidate those who expressed dissent against the government [4, 5].
The abuse persisted despite a public statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said he had forgiven students who abused him [3]. Despite this gesture of forgiveness, reports indicate that women protesters continued to receive rape threats and online abuse [1, 3].
The campaign of harassment involved a combination of social media attacks and traditional media platforms [2]. This multi-channel approach ensured that the intimidation followed the women from the physical protest site into their private digital lives [1, 2].
“Women protesters report they were doxxed, threatened, and hunted online.”
This pattern of harassment suggests a strategic use of gender-based violence and digital surveillance to marginalize women in Indian political discourse. By utilizing both state-aligned media and right-wing digital networks, the attackers create a high-cost environment for female activists, effectively weaponizing social norms and privacy violations to shrink the space for public dissent.
