By Sinjini Mitra
A woman has alleged that her former boyfriend threatened to leak her private photographs unless she paid him money. When she approached the police with her father seeking legal protection, she claimed that her complaint was not registered and that she was instead questioned in a manner she perceived as victim-blaming.
The survivor, whose identity is being withheld to protect her privacy, said she began receiving threats after her relationship with her allegedly abusive former boyfriend ended. According to her, the accused demanded money and warned that he would circulate her private images online if she refused to pay.
Fearing that the photographs would be made public, she approached the local police station with her father. However, she alleged that the police did not register an FIR. Instead, she said, officers took the accused’s phone number but did not initiate legal action. She also claimed that the police questioned her about the relationship and blamed her for “seducing” the man, leaving her feeling that she was being held responsible for the abuse she had reported.
“I went to the police because I thought they would help me. Instead, I felt blamed for what had happened. I just wanted someone to stop him before he could do anything,” the survivor said.
The allegations highlight concerns surrounding image-based sexual abuse and sextortion, forms of cyber-enabled violence in which intimate images or other private material may be used to threaten, intimidate or extort victims, particularly following the end of intimate relationships.
Biyas Datta, a fifth-year law student at NMIMS, said threatening to leak someone’s private images in exchange for money could amount to cognizable offences, depending on the facts of the case. Such conduct may attract provisions relating to criminal intimidation, extortion and offences involving the misuse or circulation of intimate digital content under applicable criminal and cyber laws.
On whether the police were legally required to register an FIR, Datta said that when information provided to the police discloses a cognizable offence, the police are generally expected to register an FIR before proceeding with an investigation.
When asked what legal remedies are available if the police refuse to act, Datta said survivors have several options. They may approach senior police officials, move the jurisdictional magistrate seeking directions for registration of a case, or report the incident through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Datta also addressed whether victim-blaming by police could discourage reporting and affect victims’ rights. He said such treatment could cause emotional and psychological distress and may discourage survivors from seeking legal assistance.
“When survivors are questioned about their personal relationships rather than the alleged criminal conduct, it discourages them from seeking justice. Every complainant has the right to be treated with dignity and without prejudice. Victim-blaming weakens trust in the justice system,” Datta said.
He further advised victims of sextortion to immediately preserve all available evidence, including screenshots of chats, payment demands, phone numbers, emails, social media accounts, bank transaction records and call logs. Victims should avoid deleting conversations, as digital evidence can play an important role in investigations.
Cybercrime expert Adarsh Choubey, who was interviewed for this story, said cases of image-based blackmail and sextortion are becoming increasingly common, particularly when former partners misuse intimate photographs or videos obtained during a relationship.
“Many perpetrators use private content as a tool to control or intimidate the victim even after the relationship has ended. In some cases, the threats are made to extort money, while in others they are intended to force communication, cause emotional distress or demand sexual favours,” Choubey said.
He advised victims to secure their online accounts, change their passwords, enable two-factor authentication wherever possible and report the matter promptly while preserving digital evidence.
Songraggi Dey, a women’s rights advocate from Kolkata, said victim-blaming remains a major barrier to reporting cybercrimes against women.
“Many survivors hesitate to approach the police because they fear being judged for trusting someone or sharing intimate images in a private relationship. When institutions reinforce that fear instead of providing support, offenders become more confident that victims will remain silent,” Dey said.
Dey called for institutional reforms to make police responses more survivor-centric, including mandatory gender-sensitisation programmes, specialised training on cyber-enabled gender-based violence, dedicated cybercrime support desks, counselling assistance for survivors and greater accountability when police fail to act on complaints disclosing cognizable offences.
The allegations made by the survivor have not been tested in a court of law, and the accused’s version could not be independently obtained for this report.
The case raises questions about access to justice in cases of digital abuse and the manner in which complaints of image-based sexual abuse and sextortion are handled. As such cases continue to draw attention, experts have emphasised the need for prompt investigation and survivor-centred policing that enables victims to report crimes without fear of judgment or humiliation.