Women investigative officers and special courts for women for POCSO cases and cybercrime courts are the need of the hour, said Sowmiya Anbumani, representing Pasumai Thayagam — a non-govenment organisation — here on Saturday.Ms. Sowmiya chaired a session at the 6th international and the 45th All India criminology conference held at the University of Madras and appealed that the government to ensure instant removal of offensive content and website under the Information and Technology Act 2000. She called for protecting the identities and privacy of victims by the family, police, and judiciary. The IT Act protects only e-commerce and financial institutions from cybercrime attacks while internet crimes against women are less discussed and fewer attempts are made to address, she said. The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition Act 1986) prohibits publications and advertisements containing indecent representation of women. Ms. Sowmiya wanted a uniform law to deal with popular foreign social media platforms, approaching them one at a time. Women should be empowered through education and land rights significantly to enhance their ability to adopt to climate change, said Ms. Sowmiya, who chaired a parallel session on violence against women – technology facilitated.Published - February 23, 2025 12:21 am IST