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Over the week, hundreds of Muslim women in India woke up to learn that they have been put up for ‘auction’ online by unidentified men
The men created an app on GitHub, an open-source code hosting platform, and named it ‘Sulli Deals’.
“Sulli” is a derogatory slang used by right-wing Hindu men in India to troll Muslim women — particularly the outspoken ones on social media. They use “Sulla” for Muslim men.
The app, which took publicly available pictures, described the women as “deals of the day”.
Sanghis have found a new way to harass muslim women online. They have made a website which randomly picks images of muslim girls and gives an option to post it on twitter with a poster titled “Your sulli deal of Day” cc: @Cyberdost pic.twitter.com/9KIWwEko7v
— Adab e Hindustan (@adabehindustan) July 4, 2021
Among those who found they were being ‘auctioned’ or ‘sold’ on the now-defunct app included journalists, activists, and others who use their voices to speak out against misogyny and Islamophobia in India
One such woman, Fatima Khan, a journalist for an Indian online newspaper, took to her Twitter account to ask, “How is this acceptable? What will be the punishment, if any, meted out to the people who made this list? Muslim men are lynched, Muslim women are harassed and sold online. When will this end?”
Didn’t check Twitter last night. Woke up this morning to realise my name, along with those of many other Muslim women was up on GitHub as a list of “Sulli Deals”. Thankfully by the time I came across it, it had been taken down. But just the screenshots sent shivers down my spine. pic.twitter.com/CGXivEyjyC
— Fatima Khan (@khanthefatima) July 5, 2021
Another woman, Hana Khan, a commercial pilot whose photo was taken from her Twitter account, shared that she only found out about being ‘auctioned’ when one of her friends alerted her about it.
“This app was running for 20 days and we didn’t even know about it,” BBC quoted Hana as saying, who added that seeing her name and photo on the app “sent chills down my spine”.
She has since filed a first information report with the Noida police in Delhi.
“These repeat offences will not be taken sitting down. Do your worse. I will do mine,” she shared.
Filed an FIR.I’m resolute and firm in getting these cowards to pay for what they have done.These repeat offences will not be taken sitting down.Do your worse. I will do mine.I am a non-political account targeted because of my religion and gender.#sullideals pic.twitter.com/mvt20VWPqp
— Hana Mohsin Khan (@girlpilot_) July 7, 2021
While not real, despite offering men to buy a “Sulli” as they couldn’t actually buy anyone on the app, the ‘auction’ had a specific purpose: to degrade and humiliate the women for their gender and religion
“They targeted us because we are women, we are Muslim and we are outspoken,” a public health professional, who was one of the women being ‘auctioned’ on the app, told The Diplomat.
“I was enraged, how low can you stoop just because you hate us? It is plain Islamophobia. We were on the ground, we were working for the people and we were occupying space,” she added.
Many others have had to deactivate their Twitter accounts as they faced further harassment and misogyny from the right-wing trolls, and a number of them have even asked the authorities to act.
Amidst complaints, GitHub responded by shutting the app down quickly.
Delhi police have also sent a notice to the source code depository platform asking it to share “relevant details” so it can investigate further, the experience has not been easy for the women to shake off.
One woman, Sania Ahmad, shared that she has spent two sleepless nights.
“To all my sisters who have suffered since last night, do not fear. Do not falter. We are in this together. And we will make it to the other side, unscathed, InShaAllah. Do not let anyone shame you or ridicule you. This is our collective fight and we will fight it together,” Sania tweeted in support of others who were targetted.
It’s been two sleepless nights. Sigh.But we will go after them with a vengeance. We are going to make it our life’s mission to have them rot behind bars. Every moment of anxiety and fear, they will have to pay for. That’s a promise.
— Sania Ahmad (@SaniaAhmad1111) July 5, 2021
SAYS was granted permission by the women whose tweets have been used in this story.
India’s National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognisance of the matter and has sought a reply from the police by 12 July
NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the police commissioner of Delhi.
@NCWIndia has taken cognizance of the matter. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @CPDelhi for investigation & filing of FIR in the matter. Action taken has to be informed to NCW within 10 days. Copy of the letter has also been sent to DCP Cyber Crime.https://t.co/KGR4XrmyuA
— NCW (@NCWIndia) July 8, 2021
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN’S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
2. ALL WOMEN’S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Weekdays (9.30am – 4.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: [email protected]
3. WOMEN’S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Weekdays (9am – 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4390698
Email: [email protected]
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am to 5.30pm)
Contact: +6082-422660
SMS/WhatsApp: +6013-8044285
Email: [email protected]
5. SABAH WOMEN’S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am to 2pm)
Contact: +6088-280200
Email: [email protected]
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (8.30am to 5.30pm)
Contact: +6016-2273065 | +6016-7213065
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: [email protected]
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF’s Reporting Portal.