How to protect children and women in digital space

Violence against women and children has recently become an everyday occurrence in the country - even four or five-year-old girls and boys are not spared from this brutality. From little Ashia to Ramisa, whose story should we speak of? Looking at the nature of these crimes, it seems not humanity but savagery has taken over us. So, is the foundation of our moral education gradually weakening? In real world, morality cannot be taught only through reading books; it is something that must be practiced. Families, teachers, society, and the country - everyone has a role to play here. Through my work experience in various government and private sectors in Bangladesh, Australia, and America, I have realized some matters that could be highly effective in our context.

Violence against women and children is not only a legal or social issue; it is also a reflection of our humanitarian and moral crisis. To overcome this situation, coordinated initiatives are needed from families, educational institutions, society, and the state. Alongside strict law enforcement, moral education, digital awareness, child protection systems, and speedy justice must be ensured

One of our major concerns is that while we give significant importance to crimes in physical or traditional spaces, we do not give equal importance to crimes in cyber, online, or digital spaces. Publicly threatening people online, exposing personal matters on social media, spreading false and baseless information through digital media, cyberbullying women and children, and even sexual harassment - these are not merely ordinary crimes; they promote harmful behavior and lead to even more heinous crimes. For example, telling a lie is a crime, but if that false information is spread on social media and becomes a threat to the safety of an individual or group, then it should no longer be treated as an ordinary crime but rather as a serious offense. You can understand the shocking mentality we hold toward women and children simply by looking at comments on social media. First and foremost, we need a change in mentality, and this applies equally in both physical and cyber spaces. In this regard, following the examples of Europe and Australia, we could introduce "eSafety, Privacy, and Defamation Regulation (EPDR)." Many people confuse this with cyber security laws, but these are completely different matters. For instance, if important information from a bank or state institution is stolen or attacked through cyber means, that falls under cyber security law. However, if someone's personal information is spread on social media to humiliate them, it would be more appropriate to address it under EPDR and thus, ensuring proper justice would also become easier.

In March 2025, a detailed report on child rape and abuse by Ain o Salish Kendra was published in various newspapers includingthe Daily Star. According to that information, 5,600 children were victims of rape over the past ten years, among whom 318 were murdered after being raped. In just the three years from 2019 to 2021, 2,778 children became victims of rape, which is nearly half of the total number over the last decade. In 2020 alone, the highest number - 1,018 children - were victimized. Although the numbers have started to decline somewhat since 2022, the nature and severity of the crimes are increasing. According to the Human Rights Watch report, the most alarming issue is that only 3.5 percent of cases reach the courts, and among those, only 0.37 percent result in punishment, which is less than half of one percent. This means that out of every ten thousand rapes, only 37 offenders are punished. Because of the belief that criminals will neither be caught nor punished even if caught, the father of victimized child Ramisa initially told the media, "I do not want justice; you will not be able to provide justice." Although after the Prime Minister visited their home and spoke with them, Ramisa's father is now hopeful for justice. But the question is: how many victims' homes can the Prime Minister visit?

It is extremely unfortunate that in a country of 170-180 million people, there are only two places where DNA testing facilities exist - the central police division and Dhaka Medical College. Cases of sexual harassment are increasing day by day in the country, and examining the huge number of samples in only two laboratories is impossible. This is also one of the reasons behind delays in the judicial process. At present, trials related to violence against women and children are supposed to be completed within three to six months, but in most cases this does not happen, causing negative reactions among the public and leading them to protests. This failure is not only of the government, judiciary, or law enforcement agencies; it is a failure of our entire system. What is needed is to confront this crisis personally, socially, and nationally, and to ensure quick and strict punishment for the offenders.

Now let us look briefly at how child protection is ensured in Australia. In every state there, those who work with children (under 18 years old) are required to obtain a "Working With Children Check" card. Although the name of the card varies in different states, the main objective is the same - ensuring a safe environment for children. Sexual harassment incidents do occur in these countries, but governments are extremely strict regarding children, so children remain largely protected. People from any profession such as teachers, researchers, nurses, doctors, caretakers, and heads of religious institutions, who need to interact with children must obtain a Children Check card before joining their profession. This card is issued transparently after checking police databases and child sex offender databases. If allegations of sexual abuse against a regular school teacher or religious teacher are proven, they can never again get a job involving interaction with children, and it also becomes very difficult for them to obtain other jobs.

America has an even stricter system. In Australia, sex offender databases are not publicly accessible in many cases. However, in America, they are. They have a "National Sex Offender Public Website" from which everyone, including ordinary citizens, can obtain information and guidance. If we could introduce such a website nationally in our country, violence against women and children could be reduced significantly. Before hiring staff in schools, appointing teachers in Madrasas, hiring private tutors, renting houses, appointing caretakers in orphanages, or employing security guards, online checks should be considered. Neighboring India also has a national-level sex offender database. The need for such a database and public website in our country is now urgent.

Violence against women and children is not only a legal or social issue; it is also a reflection of our humanitarian and moral crisis. To overcome this situation, coordinated initiatives are needed from families, educational institutions, society, and the state. Alongside strict law enforcement, moral education, digital awareness, child protection systems, and speedy justice must be ensured. Learning from the effective initiatives of countries like Australia and America, Bangladesh must take realistic and technology-driven measures. We must remember that safe children and respected women are the foundation of a civilized, humane, and developed Bangladesh.