Revenge Porn: A Peep into its Awareness among the Youth of Tamilnadu, India

TL;DR

This study investigates awareness and perceptions of revenge porn among young women in Tamil Nadu, India, highlighting low awareness, victim-blaming attitudes, and the need for legal and societal reforms to address this cybercrime.

Contribution

It provides empirical data on revenge porn awareness and attitudes among Tamil Nadu youth, emphasizing the necessity for legal reforms and awareness campaigns in India.

Findings

Over 50% had never heard of revenge porn

Only 5% had experienced it personally

40% believed victims were at fault

Abstract

The act of posting a person's private photos or videos without their consent is known as revenge porn, and it is usually done to extort money or seek revenge. According to a 2010 cybercrime survey, about 18.3% of women were unaware that they were victims of revenge porn. In densely populated countries like India, such incidents are more likely, yet there is no specific law addressing revenge porn. This study used purposive sampling with a sample size of 200 unmarried women from Tamil Nadu aged 18 to 30. The survey results show that more than 50% had never heard the term "revenge porn," and only about 5% had personally experienced it. About 40% believed the victim was at fault, while 43.5% were unsure whether pornographic websites should be banned. Around 11% admitted that they might upload explicit content as revenge, and 8.5% felt that due to cultural taboos around sex, society tends to blame the victim. Police officers should be trained in techniques for psychologically supporting victims. India, which ranks third globally in cybercrime, must adopt better preventive measures. Public awareness and targeted legal reforms could play a major role in reducing such crimes.