Cyberflashing is an ugly and dark side of the cyberworld. Recently, a woman shared her contact details while desperately looking for a ventilator and plasma for infected family members. You can only imagine what came next.
India is recording more new cases of COVID-19 than any other country. The second wave also seeped into Shasvathi Siva’s family in Mumbai. One of her family members got infected last week and was in critical condition. They were in search of a ventilator.
Believing in the power of cyberspace, Siva went forth and put out a request on Twitter asking for help or contacts who could point her in the direction of a ventilator. Fortunately, she was put in touch with multiple contacts who helped out. In about six hours, they successfully found a ventilator.
Days later, the patient’s health condition worsened, making it vital to obtain A+ blood group plasma. It was necessary to find donors who had finished their 28 days of recovery so they could exchange their blood with the plasma at the blood bank.
In search of help, Siva once again turned to the Internet. Some friends stepped up this time and got some influential accounts to post on her behalf. Some stories and tweets later circulated her mobile number. After seeing her number on some popular accounts, she panicked a little. However, her friend reassured it to be the quickest way to reach her. Hence, she agreed.
Mobile number falls into the wrong hands
The day after Siva put out her emergency request, she found herself fielding three to four calls a minute. From speaking to blood banks, coordinating with donors, figuring if they qualified at all, to a million different things for her suffering loved ones. But somewhere in the middle of these calls, Siva received a call from a man asking her if she is single.
A few minutes later, another call came in wherein two men could be heard giggling “Your DP is so nice,” one of them said. Once again, she cut the call. But she continued getting calls asking where she lives, whether she lives alone, if she is single, and etc. One man even made kissing sounds.
Siva blocked all the numbers and carried on finding a plasma donor. But the next morning, the situation escalated as she woke up to seven men video calling her at the same time. She blocked the numbers.
Just when she thought the nightmare had passed, the trauma had just migrated to another platform. As she opened WhatsApp, Siva found three unsolicited d*** pics from strangers.
She then requested the tweets and stories that carried her number be pulled down. Taking to Twitter, Siva advises women to never let their phone number out on a public forum.
Previously, a girl named and shamed a guy who sent her unsolicited pictures. Another girl even sent the pictures she received to the guy’s employer to teach him a lesson!
Story Credits: Vice
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