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UK
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USA
What to do if…
your intimate photos or videos are being shared online or in a group chat without consent
Short answer
Reach a safe pause, tell one trusted person, and report the content through the platform or messaging service where it appears. Specialist services can help you seek removal, and you can decide separately whether to contact the police.
Do not do these things
- Do not blame yourself, including if you originally created or sent the image.
- Do not pay money, send more images, or meet anyone who is threatening you.
- Do not confront the person publicly if that could increase harassment or put you in danger.
- Do not repeatedly download, forward, or redistribute the intimate material.
- Do not delete every message, username, link, or notification before saving a limited record.
- Do not feel pressured to tell everyone or report to the police before you are ready.
- Do not remain alone with someone who is threatening or coercing you.
What to do now
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Get to a safer pause. If someone is threatening you nearby, trying to force contact, or placing you in immediate danger, call 999 or move towards a trusted person or public place.
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Tell one person you trust what is happening. Ask them to stay with you, help with reports, or handle practical tasks while you steady yourself.
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Use the platform or messaging service’s reporting tools on the image, video, post, account, or group message. Select the option closest to intimate content shared without consent, sexual content involving you, harassment, or a privacy violation.
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Keep a limited record without sharing the intimate material further. Save details such as the page address, account or group name, dates and relevant messages. If you are certain everyone shown was 18 or over at the relevant time, you may also save a screenshot showing where the content appeared without forwarding it. If anyone shown was under 18, or you are unsure of their age, do not screenshot, screen-record, download or forward the intimate image or video; you can still report without that evidence.
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If you are 18 or over and live in the UK, contact the Revenge Porn Helpline for confidential advice and help seeking removal.
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If you are under 18, use Childline’s Report Remove service to report sexual images or videos of yourself online. Tell a trusted adult where that feels safe, and do not ask anyone to download or resend the material.
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Consider contacting the police when you feel able, particularly if there are threats, blackmail, stalking, repeated sharing, or immediate safety concerns. You do not need to work out which offence may apply before asking for help.
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Secure any account that may have been accessed. From a device you trust, change its password, enable two-step verification, review logged-in devices, and check its recovery email address and phone number.
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If this is affecting you at school, college, university, or work, tell an appropriate safeguarding or security contact only what they need to know to help protect you.
What can wait
You do not need to decide now whether to confront the person, leave a relationship, tell relatives or colleagues, make a public statement, close every account, begin legal action, or make a police report. Focus first on safety, support, a limited record, account security, and removal requests.
Important reassurance
This is not your fault. Creating or sending an intimate image does not give someone permission to share it, and you do not have to handle every part of the situation at once.
Scope note
This guide covers immediate safety, support, reporting, account protection, and removal steps only. Later decisions about police involvement, legal options, work or education consequences, and continuing harassment may require specialist help.
Important note
This is general information, not legal, medical, therapeutic, safeguarding, or other professional advice. Laws and police processes differ across the UK, and platform reporting and removal processes can change.
Additional Resources
About this guide
This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.