Harassment can happen to anyone, no matter how old they are, how they feel about sexuality, or how they see themselves. We usually only hear about or see harassment or rape happening to women, which is why laws are only made for women who are victims. But this doesn't mean that sexual harassment against men or rape can't happen to men. Men get frustrated one out of every ten times these days, too. Men and boys who have been sexually harassed may feel the same things as other victims of sexual abuse. However, they face many more problems because of "social ridicule" and "stereotypes" about what it means to be a man. Many cases of online harassment against men on social media are coming up these days.

India's government has passed some very effective laws that have led to a steady drop in sexual harassment of women over the past few years. But the number of cases of harassment against men on social media is going up at a very high rate. The most common place for harassment against men is at work. Most of the time, male coworkers or female bosses are the ones who harass people at work. This war is one of the most terrible ones. Female bosses sometimes told their male employees to lift their shirts and show off their muscles at work. They would also yell at and make fun of them in front of other employees. When this kind of punishment is given, male coworkers are more likely to be sexually assaulted or harassed. Keep reading more about online harassment against men on social media these days and male harassment laws.

What To Do In Case Of Harassment Against Men On Social Media? 

1. Documenting 

Digital media almost always leaves a clear trail of proof behind it, which makes us feel better. Everything can be taken as a screenshot, posts can be seen by anyone, and messages can be saved. Even though your first instinct may be to delete and ignore offensive content, it is very important that you keep track of the abuse in case you decide to go to court or try to get the content removed by the companies that run social media platforms.

Use screenshots to keep track of the times you were harassed, and keep these screenshots in order before taking action against the harasser(s). If you can also explain how the harassment hurts your physical, mental, and financial health, it will be much easier for the law to do its job. By keeping a visual record of hurtful images, comments, or messages, you can show that you were hurt without reliving traumatic events. It can help you avoid having to talk about the events repeatedly. It is one of the ways to deal with harassment against men on social media.

2. Watch Your Safety

If your physical safety is in jeopardy because of an online harassment threat, you should take extra precautions to keep yourself safe. Identify the perpetrator of your online abuse: do you know who they are, or do you not know who they are? However, you should be informed that uncovering their identity is often expensive and time-consuming. In case of harassment against men on social media, you should keep this in mind.

Relatable Read: Safety Tips That Every Women Should Know

3. Report

For example, you can file a complaint with the social media platform's community guidelines if you believe a user's posts violate those guidelines. Because of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, social media firms can't be held accountable for any content uploaded using their service. Therefore your only bet is to appeal to these sites' policies. It is ultimately up to their team to determine whether or not to reply. Many links can take you to the reporting process on Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Twitter. It is the most important step when dealing with harassment against men on social media.

4. Cybersecurity

Make sure no one can access your personal information in the future by beefing up your cybersecurity procedures. Don't ever use the same password on various websites, and don't use the same password on many websites at once. To keep things as simple as possible, we suggest trying out a few alternative password managers. Keep your personal and professional online accounts distinct, and use two-factor authentication.

Male Harassment Laws 

1. Without consent, sodomy is a crime under Section 377 of the IPC. As a result of this legislation, men are recognized as victims of rape. However, when the culprit is a woman, this part is irrelevant. 
2. Neither the perpetrator nor the victim is gendered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act of 2012, which criminalizes sexual harassment of anybody under 18. 
3. When it comes to crimes like acid attacks and attempted acid attacks, the Criminal (Amendment) Act 2013, often known as the Nirbhaya Act, is gender neutral. Complaints for acid attacks and attempts to acid attacks can be filed by anybody regardless of gender. 
4. Gender-neutral sexual harassment prevention legislation, the University Grants Commission (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations 2015, is also in place.

Summing Up

Society has very strict ideas about how men and women should act. Men are expected to be strong, not hurt easily, and able to take care of themselves. People tell them to "man up," "act like men," and "don't cry." Even though men who have been sexually harassed go through the same emotional pain as women who have been in the same situation, they also have to deal with stereotypes because of toxic masculinity. Do not let these things bother you in the case of harassment against men on social media or other means. Make sure you report the incident to protect yourself.

Also Read: Sexual Harassment At Workplace