On January 27th, 2023 in Bengaluru, India, The 5th International Conference of the South Asian Society for Criminology and Victimology (SASCV) was held in India's cutting-edge, technology-driven, worldwide university for liberal education, RV University, with the topic of Cyber criminology. The first day of the two-day conference, which was held in conjunction with the International Institute of Crime and Security Sciences (IICSS), was a huge success.

Dr. K.P. Ashwini, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Racism, spoke as the keynote speaker and underlined the importance of having zero tolerance for hate speech. She voiced grave worry over unpleasant comments based on social identities and noted that online hate speech has contributed to an upsurge in violence around the world. She emphasised the growing urgency of the problem, and she urged a tougher response from international law. She argued that the criminal justice system's focus should extend beyond law enforcement to include the protection of victims' and survivors' human rights.

Dr. Ashwini emphasised the importance of overcoming biases of all kinds, including those of gender, caste, ethnicity, and location. Dr. Ashwini, referring to the rising popularity of social media among young people, emphasised the importance of combating online bigotry and bigotry-inspired violence including sexism, mass shootings, mob lynchings, and ethnic cleansing. She pleaded for action to combat online hate speech that has a negative impact on the marginalised, emphasising the need to distinguish between hate speech and free speech.

Dr. A.V.S. Murthy, Pro Chancellor of RV University and hony. Secretary of RSST, recently made the observation that India is one of the world's most attacked and breached countries, citing a recent report by Indusface. He emphasised fixing the holes in the current data protection bill and cyber legislation to better safeguard citizens' private data and legal rights. He emphasised the importance of the legal system addressing the problem. Authorities often ignore the victimisation encountered by certain segments of our community who have been subjected to cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, or technology-facilitated sexual violence. Cyber victims' rights are not widely known. The current legal system does have some laws and mechanisms in place, but these do not address all aspects of victim justice, and their efficacy is debatable.

The goal of this conference was to bring together specialists in cyber criminology, cyber victimology, cyber law, and cyber forensics to share their knowledge and address the most pressing challenges in these areas. The objective was to also deal with the ever-changing problems that crop up in cyberspace. The main topics discussed during the conference were the interrelationships between cybercrime and other forms of criminality, as well as the effects of cybercrime on victims, legislation, regulations, security, and forensics. Throughout the course of its two days, the event featured presentations on 60+ papers dealing with diverse aspects of cyber criminology, including but not limited to trafficking, cyber terrorism, digital footprinting, and transnational crimes.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism Dr. K.P. Ashwini delivered the keynote address at the opening session, which was presided over by Dr. A.V.S. Murthy, Pro Chancellor of RV University and Hony. Secretary of RSST. Keynote speakers included Dr. Michael M. Losavio from the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, USA; Dr. K. Jaishankar, General Chair - SASCV 2023; Dr. Jasmeet Gulati, Vice Dean of the Jindal Global Law School at O.P. Jindal Global University; and Dr. Keerti Bollineni, Vasavya Mahila Mandali. On January 28th, RV University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Y.S.R. Murthy, will give the commencement address.

There were around 260 academics present at the conference, hailing from countries such as India, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, the Philippines, Malaysia, Kosovo, Italy, Dubai, Bangladesh, and Nepal. This 2-day conference will feature presentations from 60+ authors over 4 distinct "tracks": cyber criminology, cyber criminology and cyber law, cyber security and forensics, and cyber victimology.

The conference was a rare and useful chance to examine the major challenges surrounding the holistic subject from a variety of perspectives, including those of eminent academics and skilled practitioners. Professor Y.S.R. Murthy, Vice Chancellor of RV University in Bengaluru, wrote in a message to the conference goers, "Although there are legislations in existence, they have not been able to meet up to the magnitude with which cybercrime is expanding." This calls for an evaluation of the preparedness of criminal justice institutions to deal with the evolving nature of security threats. Cyber forensics requires investigation into the difficulties of the investigation process and the difficulties of gathering evidence. In the context of cyber victimisation, victim assistance must be made more easily accessible, sensitive, and individual.

"In this technology-driven era and especially after the Covid-19 Outbreak, everyone has a virtual presence today and this has also created a space for Cyber Crimes and Cyber Victimization," said Dr. K. Jaishankar, General Chair and President - SASCV 2023, Founder/Principal Director/Professor of Criminology & Crime Sciences, IICSS. Cyber criminology, cyber law, cyber security, cyber forensics, and the effective delivery of justice to cybercrime victims all have interdependent components that must be understood in order to improve the current system. The Fifth Annual SASCV International Conference provided a venue for discussing these concerns.

Victimization of individuals, communities, and businesses via online social networks is included in SASCV's scope. Dr. Bhanu Prakash Nunna, Organizing Secretary of SASCV 2023 and Assistant Professor (Psychology & Victimology) at RV University, explained that the conference "lays emphasis upon the victim-focus- approach, and rethinking and reforming the institutional structures such that justice administration with relation to cyber victimisation is accessible and effective."

"The comparative character of such exchanges could have crucial implications for the growth of criminological and victimological knowledge both in South Asia and at the global level," Nunna continued. It will undoubtedly provide a platform for participants to develop their careers and make valuable connections.

Several attendees are being honoured for their participation in the conference. In order to properly recognise the achievements of the winners in each category, an awards ceremony will be held.

Details about SASCV:

Professor K. Jaishankar established the South Asian Society of Criminology and Victimology (SASCV) in 2009 to promote the study of crime and victimisation in South Asian nations such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The South Asian Society for Criminology and Victimology (SASCV) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation whose mission is to advance the study of crime and victimisation in the South Asian region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka).

Details About RV UNIVERSITY 

RV University, which began operations in 2021 and is supported by the 80-year tradition of RV Educational Institutions, is a cutting-edge, technology-driven, global institution of higher education that offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum. Schools of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Design and Innovation, School of Commerce, School of Economics, and School of Computer Science and Engineering are just some of the places where students can earn their Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degrees at this university. It has formed alliances with more than fifty highly regarded international schools and businesses.