Marginalization at Cyberspace

Abstract

Cyberspace has been acknowledged as a free space, opening opportunities regardless of caste or gender. But this notion that this technology liberates users into a more democratic genderless world with equality still remains a fallacy. Neither has gender been erased nor has everyone been welcomed into this cyberspace. Not only are girls and women targeted more in this space; they also suffer serious consequences resulting in permanent psychological suffering. Male perpetrators not only dominate the mixed-sex electronic conversation; they have also been identified as frequent instigators of on-line sexual harassment-observations difficult to reconcile with the notion of a gender-neutral utopia. While women enter into this space in hope of a common genderless language, they soon end up unsubscribing from this digital space and also withdraw themselves into silence and isolation thereon.