New Delhi: Considering the sharp rise in cyber crimes against women and children over the past few years, a parliamentary committee has recommended that the government should initiate a structured and time-bound examination to formulate a “comprehensive and gender-sensitive cyber crime law”.In its report on “Cyber ​​Crime and Women’s Cyber ​​Safety” tabled in Parliament on Monday, the Women Empowerment Committee also recommended introducing age-appropriate rules and calibrated usage limits on social media platforms to protect children and adolescents from adverse psychological impact and safety-by-design standards to ensure responsible digital engagement.It highlighted that NCRB data shows an approximately 239% increase in cyber crimes against women between 2017 and 2022 and a multi-fold increase in cases involving children, underscoring the gravity of the situation.The significant increase in such crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic reflects high digital dependency. The National Cyber ​​Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) has recorded over 2.48 lakh complaints related to women and children between 2019 and April 2025.The committee, headed by BJP Lok Sabha MP Dr D Purandeshwari, said the rapid increase in complaints lodged on NCRP indicates increased awareness as well as institutional action. However, it also noted the phenomenon of under-reporting, driven by fear, stigma and limited digital literacy, particularly among young girls, rural women and socio-economically vulnerable groups.The report is based on inputs received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Cyber ​​Peace Foundation, an NGO, cyber experts from CDAC and social media intermediaries (Google and Meta).The Committee highlighted that cyber crimes affecting women and children are currently addressed through several laws, including the Information Technology Act, 2000; Indian Judicial Code, 2023; POCSO Act, 2012; and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. “These provisions collectively cover a wide range of offences. However, their scattered nature often results in overlapping mandates, interpretive ambiguity, uneven enforcement and procedural delays,” it said.In this background, it stressed the need for a comprehensive cyber crime law that complements and harmonizes existing laws rather than suddenly changing them.The Committee also called for holding digital platforms, especially social media, messaging and hosting services, to higher accountability standards. Furthermore, it strongly recommended that mandatory KYC-based verification be introduced on all social media, dating and gaming platforms to prevent the menace of fake profiles, impersonation and anonymous harassment.“Platforms should conduct periodic re-verification and maintain high-risk flags for accounts repeatedly reported for abuse. Strict licensing criteria and age-verification protocols should be established for dating and gaming apps, with provisions for penalties for platforms that fail to protect women and minors from fraudulent or coercive practices,” it recommended.