Restoring hope after cybercrime: Swati’s fight for mental wellness

May 20, 2025 Unknown Wizards Valli Sarvani

When cyber fraud strikes, it often leaves behind more than just empty bank accounts; it shatters trust, peace of mind, and emotional stability.

Many victims silently endure trauma, overwhelmed by guilt, shame, and helplessness. But in the cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, one woman is making a difference.

Swati Das, a 32-year-old IT professional from Cuttack, has taken up a rare and crucial role, offering psychological support to victims of cybercrime.

For the past three years, she has volunteered with the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police, counselling people affected by online scams and frauds.

Cybercrime doesn’t just steal money, it invades the mind. Victims often suffer from anxiety, depression, and in severe cases, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Swati observed that many victims tend to suffer in silence, particularly in cases involving personal exploitation such as honey-trapping or deepfakes.

She pointed out that, more often than not, the trauma runs so deep that victims feel too ashamed to share their experiences.

Consequently, they hesitate to open up, which only intensifies their emotional distress.

Working from home since 2023, Swati has committed herself to mental wellness and digital safety.

Trained in counselling through her company’s ‘Supporting Mental Health’ initiative, she conducts awareness sessions and workshops across schools, colleges, and offices.

So far, she has reached over 1,000 individuals, equipping them with coping strategies to deal with the psychological aftermath of cyber fraud.

She is also the only woman volunteer regularly working with the police’s cybercrime awareness programme.

Apart from public outreach, she provides one-on-one counselling at the Cyber Crime and Economic Offence police station in Bhubaneswar, offering victims a safe space to talk and heal.

Swati emphasised that building emotional resilience holds equal importance to strengthening cybersecurity. She stated that support systems, stress-relieving activities, and access to mental health care play a vital role in the recovery process.

She has also raised concerns about rising social media addiction, especially after the pandemic.

According to her, overexposure to disturbing content and digital overuse has led to stress and strained relationships.

Through her work, Swati Das is not just educating people, she’s helping them rebuild trust, confidence, and peace of mind in a digital world that’s increasingly hard to navigate.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on March 09, 2024