What is cyberbullying?

 Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.

Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:

• Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat
• Text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices
• Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet
• Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit
• Email
• Online gaming communities

Cyberbullying can be done in different forms over the various online platform, some of the cyberbullying examples are given below for a better understanding of what is cyberbullying or anti-bullying: 

• Humiliating/embarrassing content posted online about the victim of online bullying,
• Hacking of account
• Posting vulgar messages
• Threatening the victim to commit an act of violence
• Stalking
• Child pornography or threats of child pornography

Facts of cyberbullying

  Statistics of cyberbullying which helps in discovering that bullying in schools kids is at the majority. To understand what is cyberbullying and how to stop bullying first let’s get to know some facts of the cyberbullying:

• 1 in 4 kids have been bullied more than once and in total 43% of the kids have fallen prey to cyberbullying or anti-bullying
• India ranks at number 3 in the list of online bullying cases as per the survey conducted by Microsoft in 2012 in 25 countries
• 70% of the cyberbullying or anti-bullying activities happen over facebook
• Usage of mobile phones by almost 80% of the teens makes it a common and most popular medium for anti-bullying 
• It has been believed by the 81% of youth that getting away with online bullying is easy as compared to traditional bullying
• 90% of teens agree that have ignored the cyberbullying while some of the youth has taken a step to stop bullying
• Girls are more preferred victims of cyberbullying as compared to boys
• Victims of cyberbullying or anti-bullying are 2 to 9 times more prone to committing suicide

Cyberbullying laws in india

There is no specific legislation that provides for the specific cyberbullying laws in India however provisions such as Section 67 of the Information Technology Act deals with cyberbullying in a way.

Section 67 of the act prescribes punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form for a term which may extend to five years and also with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.

Other than Section 67 of the IT Act following are the provisions of the cyberbullying laws in India:

• Section 507 IPC : The section states that if anyone receives criminal intimidation by way of an anonymous communication then the person giving threats shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. By virtue of word anonymous the offense of anti-bullying and cyberbullying is included in this section.
• Section 66 E of IT Act :  The section prescribes punishment for violation of privacy. The section states that any person who intentionally violates the privacy by transmitting, capturing or publishing private pictures of others shall be punished with up to three years imprisonment or fine up to three lakhs.

Cases of cyberbullying:

• Shreya Singhal vs. union of India, Writ Petition (criminal) No. 167 of 2012. 
• Vishaka vs state of Rajasthan AIR 1997 SC 3011.
• Mewa Ram v. A.I.I. Medical Science AIR 1989 SC 1256

 “the doctrine of ‘equal pay for equal work’ is not an abstract doctrine. Equality must be among equal, unequal people cannot claim equality.”

•  Consumer Education and Research Centre v. Union of India AIR SC (1995) 922 para [10]

What is cyberbullying?

 Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.

Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:

• Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat
• Text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices
• Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet
• Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit
• Email
• Online gaming communities

Cyberbullying can be done in different forms over the various online platform, some of the cyberbullying examples are given below for a better understanding of what is cyberbullying or anti-bullying: 

• Humiliating/embarrassing content posted online about the victim of online bullying,
• Hacking of account
• Posting vulgar messages
• Threatening the victim to commit an act of violence
• Stalking
• Child pornography or threats of child pornography

Facts of cyberbullying

  Statistics of cyberbullying which helps in discovering that bullying in schools kids is at the majority. To understand what is cyberbullying and how to stop bullying first let’s get to know some facts of the cyberbullying:

• 1 in 4 kids have been bullied more than once and in total 43% of the kids have fallen prey to cyberbullying or anti-bullying
• India ranks at number 3 in the list of online bullying cases as per the survey conducted by Microsoft in 2012 in 25 countries
• 70% of the cyberbullying or anti-bullying activities happen over facebook
• Usage of mobile phones by almost 80% of the teens makes it a common and most popular medium for anti-bullying 
• It has been believed by the 81% of youth that getting away with online bullying is easy as compared to traditional bullying
• 90% of teens agree that have ignored the cyberbullying while some of the youth has taken a step to stop bullying
• Girls are more preferred victims of cyberbullying as compared to boys
• Victims of cyberbullying or anti-bullying are 2 to 9 times more prone to committing suicide

Cyberbullying laws in india

There is no specific legislation that provides for the specific cyberbullying laws in India however provisions such as Section 67 of the Information Technology Act deals with cyberbullying in a way.

Section 67 of the act prescribes punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form for a term which may extend to five years and also with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees.

Other than Section 67 of the IT Act following are the provisions of the cyberbullying laws in India:

• Section 507 IPC : The section states that if anyone receives criminal intimidation by way of an anonymous communication then the person giving threats shall be punished with imprisonment for up to two years. By virtue of word anonymous the offense of anti-bullying and cyberbullying is included in this section.
• Section 66 E of IT Act :  The section prescribes punishment for violation of privacy. The section states that any person who intentionally violates the privacy by transmitting, capturing or publishing private pictures of others shall be punished with up to three years imprisonment or fine up to three lakhs.

Cases of cyberbullying:

• Shreya Singhal vs. union of India, Writ Petition (criminal) No. 167 of 2012. 
• Vishaka vs state of Rajasthan AIR 1997 SC 3011.
• Mewa Ram v. A.I.I. Medical Science AIR 1989 SC 1256

 “the doctrine of ‘equal pay for equal work’ is not an abstract doctrine. Equality must be among equal, unequal people cannot claim equality.”

•  Consumer Education and Research Centre v. Union of India AIR SC (1995) 922 para [10]

By Udbhav Bhargava

The virus has proved itself to be infectious economically as it is biologically. The present scenario of the coronavirus pandemic is a perfect example that portrays how disease outbreaks can cripple modern economies resting on the foundation of globalization by causing a multi-sectoral chaos, the repercussions of which are global, making their presence felt even in countries not affected from the virus.

In the Indian context, enforcement of containment measures and nation-wide lockdowns has resulted in a significant deprivation of workforce in almost every sector, industrial, tourism, hospitality, automotive, finance, power, construction, or healthcare and has rendered several public amenities like hospitality, malls, multiplexes, supermarkets, hotels, resorts, etc. impracticable dealing an enormous loss to the economy. Force majeure acts as a ray of hope for these hard-hit business ventures.

Usually, a force majeure clause involves discrete events that would qualify as force majeure events, requirements that must have been met for such force majeure clause to apply to the agreement, and the implications of any force majeure occurrence. The clause can be inclusive of new unforeseen events that render the performance impossible or kills the subject matter of the contract. From a contractual context, force majeure provides a party with immediate relief from meeting its contractual obligations when a force majeure incident occurs.

While the lex loci, Indian Contract Act, 1872 lacks specific mention of the concept, section 32 (Enforcement of a contract contingent on an event) and 56 (Frustration) contain reference to this concept. In case of commercial contracts, parties concerned have strictly abide by what is written in the contract as mandated by the court with respect to definition of Force Majeure event. They should be aware and take care of how such an intervening event satisfies the definition of Force Majeure event as per the contract. The procedure of notifying the other party includes giving a detailed notice specifying the occurrence of a Force Majeure event, impact of the event and suspension of underlying obligations till the continuation of the event. 

If the contract is silent on it, parties can rely on section 56, that talks about performance rendered impossible by a supervening event. Here, impossibility, as laid down in Satyabrata Ghose vs Mugneeram Bangur and others following judgments, must be construed in strictest manner possible. It means commercial difficulty per se not an impossibility and unviability in terms of price or onerousness in operation would not constitute any impossibility.   

A blood donation occurs when a person voluntarily has blood drawn and can be used for transfusions or made into bio pharmaceutical medications by a process called fractionation(separation of white-blood components). Donation may be of whole blood, or of specific components directly. Today in the developed world, most blood donors are unpaid volunteers who donate blood for a community supply.

If your blood type is:	You can give to:	You can receive from:
A Positive	A+, AB+	A+, A-, O+, O-
B Positive	B+, AB+	B+, B-, O+, O-
AB Positive	AB+ Only	All blood types
O Negative	All blood types	O- only

Blood Donors Eligibility

The Pros of Donating Blood

• Help Others

Blood donation is a voluntary act that all healthy adults can take part in. Donated blood is distributed to those in need of it, including people that suffer from severe loss of blood and people who have undergone extreme medical procedures.

• Renewable

Blood is renewable. It renews itself within the body, so the donated blood will not be a loss by the body. Donation time is approximately 45 minutes or less, and a person can donate blood every 56 days.

• Health Benefits

Blood donation has several health benefits. It reduces blood cholesterol level and sheds extras calories. The number of blood cells within the body decreases after blood donation. This stimulates the bone marrow to produce new and fresh blood cells to replace the lost cells.

The Cons of Blood Donation

• Painful

The insertion of needle into the veins can be painful. While some people find the needle poke unpleasant, others have a strong fear of needles. Others are even afraid to see blood.

• Weakness

A person may faint or feel dizzy after donating blood, but these symptoms are quite common. These feelings disappear quickly after the body makes more blood. Almost all blood donation centers have free snacks and juice to help the donor boost energy levels.

A common myth-people think that they can’t give blood because of their tattoos.

Due to lack of awareness, a large number of potential blood donors are being turned away by blood banks if they have got themselves tattooed or pierced. Recently many young people opting are going getting tattooed and body piercing and subsequently more than 5 per cent of the donors are rejected.

Reason: Blood donated by such people carries the risk spread of hepatitis B and in rare cases HIV and hepatitis C infections through unsanitary needles used for tattoos and body pierces.

Medical Opinion: The good news for tattooed blood donors, is that they can donate blood after six months/one year (depends on blood banks) of having undergone piercing or body art.

Root Cause

• In India lack of any regulation in tattoo facilities is also to blame.
• In USA, you may be able to donate blood if you got your tattoo at a state-regulated tattoo shop. State-regulated shops are routinely monitored for safe and sterile tattooing practices, so the risk of infection is low.

Lack Of Coordination Between Blood Banks and Hospitals Wasted 6 Lakhs Litres Of Blood In The Last 5 Years

A Right To Information (RTI) petition filed by activist Chetan Kothari with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) revealed serious loopholes in the nation’s blood banking system. In the last five years, over 28 lakhs units of blood and its components were discarded by banks across India.When calculated in litres, the 6% cumulative wastage translates to more than 6 lakhs litres of blood – which is enough to fill 53 tankers.On an average, India faces a shortage of 3 million units of blood annually. Lack of blood, plasma or platelets often leads to maternal mortality as well as deaths in case of accidents that cause serious blood loss.

State-wise spoilage by blood banks

The states that fared the worst in the country in terms of not only discarding whole blood, but even red blood cells and plasma as the life-saving components could not be used before their expiry date, were Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In 2016-17 alone, more than 6.57 lakh units of blood and its products were wasted.

The most troubling part is that 50% of the units wasted were of plasma, which has a shelf life of one year, much longer than the 35-day deadline by which whole  blood and red blood cells have to be used.

The only state to have crossed the one-million mark with regard to collection of blood units – Maharashtra – has also accounted for the maximum spoilage of whole blood, followed by the states of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

The top three positions in the wastage of red blood cells were bagged by Maharashtra, UP and Karnataka, with the latter two also wasting the maximum units of fresh frozen plasma. Given that fresh frozen plasma is imported by several pharma companies to produce albumin, it is surprising that in 2016-17, over 3 lakhs units of the product were discarded.

Around 56,000 litres of blood and its components were wasted in Tamil Nadu in the last 5 years – which is 5% of the total donations made, but the government, in an effort to reduce wastage, is used in the process of drafting, the state’s first blood policy.

Reasons for spoilage

• The crisis of spoilage of blood can be blamed on the absence of a robust blood sharing network between banks and hospitals, according to crusaders of safe blood transfusion.

• In many states, donation camps involving thousands of participants are set up by local politicians to use them as a tools to please constituents.

Dr Zarine Bharucha of the Indian Red Cross Society pointed out that a collection of up to 500 units was acceptable and manageable.

“But we have seen and heard of camps where 1,000 to 3,000 units are collected. Where is the place to store so much blood? Why can’t people walk into regular banks and donate once every three months?” she said, as reported by The Economic Times.

However, the head of the directorate of health services in Maharashtra argued that the wastage could be a “noble health plan to curtail maternal deaths”.

“We have created more than 200 storage centres in interior areas for emergencies. We would rather be prepared to save a life than worry about unused units of blood,” he said.

• NACO revealed that in the past 17 months starting May 2016, 2234 persons across India were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while getting blood transfusions.

• Though in some cases it is understandable that emergency stores of blood might go waste, spoilage in other areas, especially urban cities, where blood donation camps can be held at regular intervals cannot be justified.

• In a country where shortage of blood is on a rise, wastage of imported fresh frozen plasma is troubling. This not only poses a threat on the lives of those who might require a blood transfusion, but is also a monetary loss.

• All hospitals – private and public, blood banks and government authorities should implement proper regulations to prevent such loss in the future.

• 

Domestic violence in India includes any form of violence suffered by a person from a biological relative, but typically is the violence suffered by a woman by male members of her family or relatives.

Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence (IPV) as it is sometimes called, is a worldwide problem.[10] Domestic abuse includes physical, emotional and sexual violence of any form. In India, the PWDVA also includes economic abuse under the definition of domestic violence.

Definition and law

Domestic violence is currently defined in India by the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005. According to Section 3 of the Act, “any act, omission or commission or conduct of the respondent shall constitute domestic violence in case it:

1: harms or injures or endangers the health, safety, life, limb or well-being, whether mental or physical, of the aggrieved person or tends to do so and includes causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic abuse; or
2: harms, injures or endangers the aggrieved person with a view to coerce her or any other person related to her to meet any unlawful demand for any dowry or other property or valuable security; or
3: has the effect of threatening aggrieved person or any person related to her by any conduct mentioned in clause (a) or clause (b); or
4:otherwise injures or causes harm, whether physical or mental, to the aggrieved person.”
2005 it was made illegal Jammu and Kashmir, which has its own laws, has enacted in 2010 the Jammu and Kashmir Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2010.

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Victims of domestic violence:

Women make up the largest group of victims. However, men, children, and elderly people may also be victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence occurs at all levels of society and in all population groups.

Abuse is usually intentional, but not always. For example, often people can no longer cope with family care. The situation can then escalate and lead to abuse.

Facts of domestic violence in India

The issue of gender-based violence in India has been on the political agenda for many years. And with substantial data, one thing is clear: rampant domestic violence against women in India is a reality. Every third woman, since she was 15 years of age, has been confronted with domestic violence of various forms in the country, according to the National Family Health Survey (NHFS-4) released by the Union Ministry of Health. Thus, the incubation of a new round of debate on the cultural underpinnings of domestic violence.

According to the survey, 27 percent of women have experienced physical violence in India since the age of 15. This experience of physical violence between women is more common in rural areas than among women in urban areas. Domestic violence cases, where women reported physical abuse in rural and urban areas, were 29 percent and 23 percent respectively.

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 (PWDVA) sets out a comprehensive definition of domestic violence that encompasses all forms of physical, emotional, verbal, sexual, and economic violence and covers both actual acts of violence and threats of violence. Also, the PWDVA recognizes marital rape and treats harassment in the form of unlawful dowry claims as a form of abuse.

Domestic violence cases in India on the rise during CoVid-19

Recent data released by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) suggest that the nationwide lockdown has led to a rapid increase in cases of domestic violence. The data, which is categorized according to cases in different states suggest that Uttarakhand recorded the highest number of domestic violence cases in the last two months of lockdown. Haryana ranks on number two and the national capital Delhi on number three.

The report by NALSA documents cases from the start of the lockdown till May 15 and was collected through 28 State Legal Services (SLAs). Some shocking numbers were revealed in the report which mentioned that a total of 144 cases of domestic violence were reported in Uttarakhand. From Haryana, the number of cases were 79 and a total of 69 cases surfaced from Delhi.

The situation of increase in cases of domestic violence is not restricted to only India. The lockdown has brought the world to a standstill. The lives of women across the globe, who are in an abusive relationship have also come to a halt. The same violence is repeated and perpetrated frequently, and on a regular basis during the lockdown. Various domestic violence helplines and organizations all over the world are working constantly to deal with this global issue.

The COVID-19 lockdown has brought simmering tensions to the fore with many couples struggling to find a common ground and retain their sanity. From division of household chores, a partner binge eating or drinking or spending too much time on social media, all of these situations are giving rise to increased animosity among couples. Here’s how you can address each of them.

Steps That Survivors Of Domestic Violence Should Take:

1: Call the cops. If you are physically or sexually assaulted by your spouse, partner, or anyone else, call the police and ask for help immediately.
2: Take videos of the injuries. It’s important to keep some evidence of that attack, 3: Create a safety. Survivors of domestic violence should set up a safety plan for themselves and their children. A safety plan may involve stashing some money, clothing, phones, extra car keys, passports, I.D.s, and other essential documents in a safe place outside the house.

• 

Conclusion

Domestic violence is one of the most egregious types of harassment suffered by women in our culture today. Statistics show that 85% of victims of domestic violence are female. Only 15% of the victims are men. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of race, creed, religion, or standing in the victim’s society. If the issue of domestic violence is not dealt with adequately, this type of abuse will continue to exist in all classes of society without an end. For us, as a society, to eradicate this horrible type of abuse, we need to stand together and make tougher laws to protect the victims of this abuse.

Naya Rivera, a singer and actor who played a gay cheerleader on the hit TV musical comedy Glee, was found dead on Monday in a Southern California Lake. She was 33.

Rivera’s body was discovered six days after she disappeared on Lake Piru, where her son, Josey, was found on July 8, alone on a boat the two had rented, the Ventura Country Sheriff’s office said. The Sheriff’s office confirmed that the body was Rivera’s.

According to the police working on Rivera’s case, the actor died trying to save her son.

Rivera’s son, Josey Hollis Dorsey told the police that after the two went swimming. Rivera pushed him into the boat but when he turned around to see her, she had disappeared underwater.

The sheriff, Bill Ayub said during a conference that Rivera gathered enough energy to help her son, but not to save herself. The cops believe that the actor had been trapped by vegetation beneath the surface of the lake, which is why it took six days to find her.

Family members chatted with Rivera via FaceTime when she was on the boat, and search crews watched those videos for clues to where she might have gone down, Ayub said ” It has been an extremely difficult time for her family throughout this ordeal.” “We share their grief” he added.

Rivera’s untimely and tragic demise has sent shock waves around the world. The fact that the actor had died while trying to save her son was what broke her fans’ heart.

‘Lord’ came to court for ‘Justice’
When a person becomes hopeless & depressed in his life, he usually seeks shelter in the supreme power, the almighty. But when that almighty gets in trouble he comes to court..ahem..quite literally. I am referring to those cases which involve GOD as the litigant. I will give you a glimpse into such interesting suits but first let’s start with the recent one, The Padmanabhaswamy case.

The Padmanabhaswamy case

The padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala is one of the richest shrine in the world. The historical temple is dedicated to lord Padmanabhaya, an incarnation of lord Vishnu. This temple has six underground chambers, known as Vault A, Vault B, Vault C, Vault D, Vault E and Vault F. These vaults are full of royal treasure worth in billions. Apart from the treasure the shrine gets crores in donation every year from devotees around the world. Understandably controlling the administration of the temple was the cause of the dispute. On July 13, reversing the Kerala High Court judgement, the Supreme Court of India upheld the rights of the former royal family to run the administration of the 8th century built temple. In 2011, Kerala High Court had given the administration power to the state government.
Originally the temple was maintained by the Travancore Royal Family. The tiff started over the maintenance and legal rights of the historic temple after the death of the last ruler Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, in 1991. There had been a critical question on whether his younger brother Utradam Thirunal Marthanda Varma can control and manage the Padmanabhaswamy Temple administration as the “ruler of Travancore”.
By carefully examining the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950, the Supreme Court decided to allow the Travancore royal family to claim ownership and manage the ancient Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple. And along with the controlling rights, the Apex Court has also passed the ball in the court of the royal family to decide whether the mysterious ‘vault B’ be open or not. However, the royal family had argued against the opening of the secret vault as they claim it would bring misfortune to the entire state.

The Ayodhya case

After decades of litigation and political-nonpolitical, religious movements, the famous Ram Janmabhoomi matter dispute was finally settled by the Supreme Court of India. On 9 November 2019, a five member bench headed by the then CJI Ranjan Gogoai had also passed the historical verdict on the matter. The apex court upheld the title right of Ram Lalla, the presiding deity, over the disputed 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The court had also directed the government to allocate a separate 5 acre land for the construction of a mosque.

The Sabrimala verdict

The Sabarimala Temple, considered the abode of Lord Ayyappa, is located in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Kerala. According to the centuries old custom the temple does not allow the entry of women in their ‘menstruating years’ (between the age of 10 to 50). In 2006, a PIL was filed by Indian Young Lawyers Association before the Supreme Court, challenging the custom. The Association argued that the custom violates the rights to equality under Article 14 and freedom of religion under Article 25 of female worshippers.
On 28th September 2018, a five member bench of the Apex Court delivered the controversial judgement on the Sabrimala Temple. The 4:1 majority held that the custom of not giving entry to the Shrine of Lord Ayappa is unconstitutional. Though the only female judge in the bench, Justice Indu Malhotra dissented with the verdict.
The Constitution bench also suggested the larger bench to look into pending cases in relation to the entry of Muslim women to a dargah/mosque; Parsi women married to non-Parsis and their entry to a fire temple; and issues relating to female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community. The apex court observed that a common policy needs to be formulated to deal with recurring cases related to similar issues of faith and religion.
Challenging the judgment a review petition is still pending in the court.