Social media is being used to amplify the requirements of ailing citizens and their families.
In the last few weeks, India has seen an unprecedented rise in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country. As India became the second worst-hit country in the world, government departments and healthcare services were found buckling under the surging caseload.
An acute shortage of resources including hospital beds, oxygen and COVID-19 medicines is being reported in various states. In such circumstances, social media apps were used as platforms to amplify the requirements of ailing citizens and their families. Several posts about requests for help and resources on Twitter and Instagram included the contact details of the people making the requests, so as to enable quick communication.
While the mechanism served its purposes in many cases, for some Indian women who shared their number on social media, things took an ugly turn. Many who shared their contact details on Instagram were met with vulgar and inappropriate messages as well as calls.
One such instance was reported by Mumbai resident Shasvathi Siva who had appealed on Twitter for help for her family members who had tested positive for COVID-19. Ms Siva shared her number on social media for want of a blood plasma donor for a sick family member.
Explaining what happened next, she wrote in a tweet, "Been looking for plasma donors, and my no has been around in some groups + stories. I've fielded calls from men asking me if I'm single, if I can share photos, my dp is nice etc, and 1 "friend" who said he'd help if 'at least now you go on a date with me'. Some men are DISGUSTING."
She followed this up with another message that said that she had now begun to receive graphic images from some men. "I thought it wouldn't get worse, but since this morning, I've received (on WhatsApp) 3 d**k pics, and 7 men trying to video call me continuously. Even in a medical emergency, men think only with their genitals."
Warning women to not share their contact information on social media, she added, "Women: NEVER, EVER let your number out in public forums."
Ms Siva's ordeal resonated with numerous online users who extended their support to her. But the replies also indicated that she was not alone. Sharing another such incident, a user wrote, "I was working with people last year who were facing financial difficulties due to lockdown and/or Amphan cyclone. We were providing them with ration...There were many cases of men asking me to show them my DP, talk on call chat more often. I literally had to block them."
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who is using his Twitter account to amply COVID-related requests confirmed on the platform that some women, whose messages he was amplifying, were facing similar harassment. He said in a tweet that he would refrain from sharing phone numbers of women requesting help as they were receiving inappropriate messages and calls.
Mr Abdullah said, "Unfortunately even in this crisis some men can't stop themselves from behaving like ba*****s. They find phone numbers of ladies included with the requests for help and make lewd calls. I'll try my best not to circulate numbers of ladies but it may impact how people can help."
Replying to Mr Abdullah's tweet, author Kiran Manral said, "Had that with a few requests one had forwarded, now avoiding putting requests with women's numbers on them."
A large section of Twitter was appalled by the treatment being meted out to women, especially at a time when a significant part of the population was battling for their lives.
Photographer Atul Kasbekar said, "What kind of scum would take a phone number of a lady urging social media for an ICU bed, oxygen, ventilator, medical attention etc and send lewd texts/ calls...I mean even hell doesn't have any special place for vermin like this."
Take a look at some of the other reactions.
India has recorded over 3.23 lakh new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the caseload to over 1.76 crore. The country also witnessed 2,771 deaths in the last 24 hours.