Organization:Akancha Srivastava Foundation

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Akancha Srivastava Foundation
Akancha Srivastava Foundation Logo.jpg
FounderAkancha Srivastava
Founded atMumbai
TypePublic Cyber Safety or Public Safety
Key people
Akancha Srivastava
Websiteakanchaagainstharassment.com

Akancha Srivastava, is the founder of Akancha Srivastava Foundation.[1] The Foundation was formed in 2017. It is an 80G certified, non-profit organization in India that works for the education and empowerment[2] of people by imparting the knowledge of cyber safety[3] via its initiative Akancha Against Harassment .[4][5][6][7]

History

Akancha Srivastava founded the non-profit organisation in 2017 after a personal experience that involved severe cyber stalking. She decided to take up this cause & build India's movement against cyber harassment.[4]

Foundation has conducted workshops across schools, colleges, universities, and Co working spaces across the country. Indian Police has collaborated with them in knowledge creation and addressing complaints. Educators and IAS officers have joined hands with them too.

Activities

The "Akancha Against Harassment" social impact initiative fights cyber harassment and empowers[8] people to protect themselves from cyber harassment in all its forms like- cyber stalking,[9] bullying,[10][11] cyber grooming,[12] morphing,[13] blackmail,[14] acts of voyeurism, revenge pornography & impostering. Foundation has several tools for enabling this such as the 24x7 helpline[15] which is recognized and supported by Indian police across states.[16][17] The organisation creates awareness through:

  1. Chatbot - launched in 2018, the chatbot educates about cyber harassment[18] and steps to be taken to counter it. SOS option is available to connect with the foundation.[16][19][20]
  2. Workshops - conducted in schools, colleges, and other institutions.[21][22][23][24]
  3. Podcasts - Podcasts have guests from The Indian Police, IAS officers, Educators, Lawyers, Mental Health Professionals & fitness experts who share/address/guide on different aspects of cyber safety and inform about citizen rights and laws.

The NGO's board of advisors include Karnataka's Inspector General of Police D Roopa Moudgil, UP's Inspector General of Police Navniet Sekera, PayTM founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma,[25] Maharashtra's Inspector General of Police Krishna Prakash, MP of Rajsamand Princess Diya Kumari, and Innov8 founder Ritesh Malik.[26][27][28] This NGO helps victims of cyber harassment connect with police and other authorities.

References

  1. "Significant increase in cyber crimes against women during lockdown: Experts" (in en). 2020-05-03. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/significant-increase-in-cyber-crimes-against-women-during-lockdown-experts-2222352. 
  2. "Vogue Warriors: Meet the social entrepreneur leading the fight against the rising rate of cyber crime during the lockdown" (in en-IN). https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/vogue-warriors-akancha-against-harassment-fighting-cyber-crime-during-the-lockdown. 
  3. "Vogue Warriors: Meet the social entrepreneur leading the fight against the rising rate of cyber crime during the lockdown" (in en). 2020-05-22. https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/vogue-warriors-akancha-against-harassment-fighting-cyber-crime-during-the-lockdown. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Once hounded by a cyber stalker, this Mumbai woman now conducts workshops on online harassment" (in en). 2017-07-21. https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-once-hounded-by-a-cyber-stalker-this-mumbai-woman-now-conducts-workshops-on-online-harassment-2509403. 
  5. Correspondent, BizAsia (2017-10-28). "Sunny Leone teams up with NGO to fight cyber harassment" (in en-GB). https://www.bizasialive.com/sunny-leone-teams-ngo-fight-cyber-harassment/. 
  6. Vijayan, Naveena (2017-04-28). "Caught in the web" (in en-IN). The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/caught-in-the-web/article18262856.ece. 
  7. "NGO Darpan". https://ngodarpan.gov.in/index.php/home/statewise_ngo/7764/27/34?per_page=20. 
  8. "Know The Laws and Your Rights To Be Safe Online, Say Experts" (in en). 2018-09-29. https://www.shethepeople.tv/drafts/know-laws-rights-safe-online-experts. 
  9. "Women more vulnerable to online harassment" (in en). 2019-12-24. https://www.deccanherald.com/metrolife/metrolife-lifestyle/women-more-vulnerable-to-online-harassment-788381.html. 
  10. "Significant increase in cybercrime against women during lockdown: Experts" (in en). 2020-05-03. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/significant-increase-in-cybercrime-against-women-during-lockdown-experts/story-QNPwq5Jr1iAkAXzacLnc5K.html. 
  11. "Significant increase in cybercrime against women during lockdown: Experts" (in en). 2020-05-01. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/significant-increase-in-cybercrime-against-women-during-lockdown-experts-78990. 
  12. "Internet crimes see manifold rise during lockdown; children are the biggest targets" (in en). 2020-05-04. https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/internet-crimes-see-manifold-rise-during-lockdown-children-are-the-biggest-targets. 
  13. "Significant increase in cybercrime against women during lockdown: Experts" (in en). 2020-05-01. https://telanganatoday.com/significant-increase-in-cybercrime-against-women-during-lockdown-experts. 
  14. "लॉकडाउन में एक्टीव हुए साइबर अपराधी, सबसे ज्यादा महिलाओं को बना रहे निशाना" (in hi). 2020-05-01. https://www.jagran.com/news/national-coronavirus-lockdown-cybercrime-against-women-increase-during-lockdown-20235961.html. 
  15. "'He wasn't wearing pants': 38-year-old Indian woman recounts online sexual harassment by her boss during a work call" (in en). https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/he-wasnt-wearing-pants-38-year-old-indian-woman-recounts-online-sexual-harassment-by-her-boss-during-a-work-call-1.1601148657223. 
  16. 16.0 16.1 "Haptik and Akancha launch a unique Chatbot against cyber harassment" (in en). 2018-01-05. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/050118/haptik-and-akancha-launch-a-unique-chatbot-against-cyber-harassment.html. 
  17. "Once hounded by a cyber stalker, this Mumbai woman now conducts workshops on online harassment" (in en). 2017-07-21. https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-once-hounded-by-a-cyber-stalker-this-mumbai-woman-now-conducts-workshops-on-online-harassment-2509403. 
  18. "'He Wasn't Wearing Pants': Cyberbullying, Sexual Harassment in the Age of Zoom Calls and Covid-19" (in en). 2020-09-26. https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/he-wasnt-wearing-pants-cyberbullying-and-sexual-harassment-in-the-age-of-zoom-calls-and-coronavirus-2905871.html. 
  19. "Haptik supports "Akancha against Harassment" with a unique Chatbot". https://www.varindia.com/news/haptik-supports-akancha-against-harassment-with-a-unique-chatbot. 
  20. "How Can a Chatbot Help Deal With Cyber Harassment?" (in en). https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/features/how-can-a-chatbot-help-deal-with-cyber-harassment-1798838. 
  21. "Once hounded by a cyber stalker, this Mumbai woman now conducts workshops on online harassment.". dnaindia.com. https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-once-hounded-by-a-cyber-stalker-this-mumbai-woman-now-conducts-workshops-on-online-harassment-2509403. 
  22. "Police ill-equipped to handle cyber crimes". https://www.afternoonvoice.com/police-ill-equipped-handle-cyber-crimes.html. 
  23. "Akancha Against Harassment: Giving voice to victims". https://www.uttarpradesh.org/page-3/akancha-againstharassment-giving-voice-to-victims-428175/. 
  24. "Special workshop on Student Self Defence". http://cmseducation.org/campuses/gomtinagar2/activities/session_2017_18/index.html. 
  25. "Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ritesh Malik, Indian Police Other Authorities Come Together To Back A Unique Cyber Safety Initiative" (in en). 2019-12-09. http://www.businessworld.in/article/Vijay-Shekhar-Sharma-Ritesh-Malik-Indian-Police-Other-Authorities-Come-Together-To-Back-A-Unique-Cyber-Safety-Initiative/09-12-2019-180073/. 
  26. "'Akancha against harassment' emerged as a social impact initiative against cyber harassment – spoindia" (in en-US). https://spoindia.org/akancha-against-harassment-emerged-as-a-social-impact-initiative-against-cyber-harassment/. 
  27. "I'd walk to the door with a knife: Sunny opens up on incident of man threatening her" (in en). 2017-10-27. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/271017/id-walk-to-the-door-with-a-knife-sunny-opens-up-on-incident-of-man-threatening-her.html. 
  28. "BJP Yuva Morcha President and MP Poonam Mahajan Stands Up Against Online Harassment". https://medium.com/@Akancha/bjp-yuva-morcha-president-and-mp-poonam-mahajan-standsup-against-online-harassment-358957276fe1. 

External links