Complaints of cyber crimes against women exceed 12,000

More than twelve thousand complaints of cybercrimes against women in Sri Lanka have been reported over the past three years, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala revealed in Parliament yesterday (07). The Minister stated this in response to a question raised by Member of Parliament Rajeevan Jayachandra Moorthy, and also explained to the House the steps taken to ensure the digital security of women.

According to data provided by the Minister, 12,004 complaints of cybercrimes against women have been received by the police from 2023 to 2025. In 2023, 4,103 complaints were reported, of which approximately 755 have been resolved, and investigations and prosecutions are ongoing for another 3,348 complaints. He pointed out that out of 3,159 complaints reported in 2024, 982 have been resolved, and further legal action is being taken regarding the remaining 2,177 complaints. Furthermore, in 2025 alone, 4,742 such complaints have been received, with 572 resolved and investigations ongoing for another 4,170 complaints.

The Minister stated that the Sri Lanka Police, including the Computer Emergency Response Teams, and other relevant institutions are working with international assistance to control this situation. He also emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and monitoring systems are being used to promptly remove content related to harassment of women through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. In addition, special attention is currently being paid to cybercrime cases against women, and strict law enforcement measures have also been introduced.

To extensively investigate these crimes, specialized cybercrime prevention units have already been established covering every province of the island, including the Northern and Eastern provinces. This provides the facility for anyone to file complaints regarding cybercrimes within their own province. The Minister further stated that while the exact time taken to resolve a cybercrime cannot be specified, some incidents may take a year or two, and a wide range of programs have been implemented through television and radio channels to raise awareness among women and girls regarding this issue.