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Leaked screenshots from a lewd Instagram chat group have recently stirred up a controversy regarding toxic masculinity and rape culture in India. The chat group called ‘Bois Locker Room’, with hundreds of underage boys from South Delhi as members, was being used for sharing photos of minor girls, objectifying them and planning their gang rapes.
This piece of news was revealed by a girl from South Delhi who posted the screenshots of these chats on Twitter. “A group of south Delhi guys aged 17-18 types have this IG GC named ‘boy’s locker room’ where they shit on, objectify and morph pictures of girls their age. 2 boys from my school are a part of it. MY FRIENDS AND I ARE FREAKING OUT THIS IS SO EWWW AND NOW MY MOM WANTS ME TO QUIT IG (sic),” she wrote.
The screenshot revealed that the boys had made statements, such as – “We can rape her easily” and “I will come whenever you say. We will gang rape her”. The boys allegedly shared morphed photos of girls, body shaming and slut-shaming them.
The group’s members, seemingly belong to some reputed schools in Delhi, claimed Ashnaa Sharma, a Delhi-based influencer.
Soon, the news spread on Twitter too and #boyslockerroom began trending. A few users even claimed to have gone to school with some of the chat group’s members.
As the screenshot became viral, members of the group reportedly changed their username and created a new Instagram page called ‘Bois Locker Room 2.0’.
Sharma and other girls who posted about the group chat said that they had received abuses and threats and their accounts were being hacked.
Morphing photos and sharing images of people’s private parts would be a violation of Section 66E of the IT Act, as well as Section 354C (voyeurism) of the Indian Penal Code.
The incident is a mark of shame and an extension of a patriarchal culture which pervades every nook and corner of Indian society.
In a further development, a 15-year-old boy from a prominent school in South Delhi has been taken into custody by the Delhi Police Cyber Cell in connection with the incident. The police have also identified around 22 students who were part of the sexist group on Instagram. The boys will be called for questioning.Delhi Police has registered a case under Section 465 (forgery), 471 (using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of Indian Penal Code and Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) and 67A (publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act in electronic form) of IT Act.
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has taken notice of the issue and sent a notice to Instagram and Delhi Police in the matter.
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