Revenge porn
It is illegal to share or threaten to share private, sexual photos or videos of someone:
- without their permission
- with the aim of upsetting or embarrassing them.
This is called intimate image abuse or revenge porn, and it includes:
- uploading images to the internet
- sharing them by text or e-mail
- showing someone a physical or electronic image
Private means anything that's not usually seen in public. In law, sexual means anything that shows a person's genitals or private areas and anything else that's considered to be sexual by a 'reasonable person'.
Anyone can be a victim of intimate image abuse. The offender will often be an ex-partner or someone you know, but it can also be a stranger.
What to do if you've been targeted
- Keep calm and don't panic, help and support is available.
- Save the evidence; take screenshots, save messages and images, collect URL links to where the information is shared online.
- Block all communication with the person targeting you.
- Report any accounts the person has used to contact you or share the material on.
Most social media sites have rules against sharing intimate content without consent, so you should be able to get the material removed. The Revenge Porn Helpline can help you report the material to social media accounts.
Report it
We understand that it might be difficult to report this type of crime to us, but our officers are here to listen and to support you in any way we can.
You can report intimate image abuse to us:
- online
- by calling 101
- by going to a police station
- if you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service on 18001 101.
Useful links
Adults (18 or over)
Revenge Porn Helpline
Advice and information and help getting images removed.
Open 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
You can also contact them anonymously to begin with by using their Whisper Report.
The Revenge Porn Helpline's service is for adults (18 or over) only.
Children (under 18)
Childline
Help and advice for under 18s. Childline can help you to get shared images removed from the internet.
Internet Watch Foundation
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse pictures or videos on the internet.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection command
Report online child sexual abuse to the police's Child Exploitation and Online Protection command.