'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20v30%20h60%20v-30%20z'%20fill='%23012169'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20L60,30%20M60,0%20L0,30'%20stroke='%23fff'%20stroke-width='6'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M0,0%20L60,30%20M60,0%20L0,30'%20stroke='%23C8102E'%20stroke-width='4'%20clip-path='url(%23s)'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M30,0%20v30%20M0,15%20h60'%20stroke='%23fff'%20stroke-width='10'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M30,0%20v30%20M0,15%20h60'%20stroke='%23C8102E'%20stroke-width='6'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
UK
%20--%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='0'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='210'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='420'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='630'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='840'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='1050'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='1260'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='247'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='741'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1235'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1729'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2223'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2717'%20y='1470'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='0'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='494'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='988'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1482'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='1976'%20y='1680'/%3e%3cuse%20href='%23s'%20x='2470'%20y='1680'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
USA
What to do if…
you think an intimate video call or sexual situation was recorded without your consent
Short answer
End the call or leave the situation and move to a safer, private place. Do not confront the person if that could increase the risk, and contact a trusted person or specialist support service before deciding what to do next.
Do not do these things
- Do not continue the call or situation to test whether recording is happening.
- Do not confront the person, seize their device, or search their belongings if that could put you at risk.
- Do not pay money, send more intimate material, or comply with threats.
- Do not download, forward, or repost a suspected recording.
- Do not delete accounts or messages in panic.
- Do not publicly accuse or threaten the person while you are frightened or unsure.
- Do not hire an unfamiliar company that promises guaranteed removal or demands urgent payment.
What to do now
- End the video call or leave the sexual situation and move to a place where you feel safer. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.
- Close the calling app and turn off or cover your camera if you are concerned that it may still be active.
- If this happened in person, create distance from the person without confronting them and ask someone you trust to stay with you or help you reach a safer place.
- Tell one trusted person what happened and what you need right now, such as company, a safe place, or help contacting support.
- If it is safe and you may want options later, save existing messages and note what made you concerned, but do not download, forward, or try to obtain an intimate recording.
- If this happened online and there are signs that the relevant account or device may also have been accessed, such as unknown sign-ins, changed settings, or threats involving account access, use a device you trust to change the relevant account password, sign out other sessions, and enable multi-factor authentication.
- Contact RAINN or the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative for confidential support and help considering your options. You do not need to decide now whether to make a formal report.
- If someone threatens to share material or demands money, sexual contact, account access, or more images, stop responding and do not pay. You can choose to report cyber-enabled threats through the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center or contact local law enforcement.
- If content appears online, report it through the platform’s nonconsensual intimate-image process. StopNCII may help eligible adults, and NCMEC’s Take It Down service is for images or videos taken when the person depicted was under 18.
What can wait
You do not need to decide now whether to confront the person, contact police, hire a lawyer, tell family or an employer, search for the recording, or work out which laws may apply. Unless someone is in immediate danger, focus first on reaching safety, ending contact, and speaking with a trusted or specialist support person.
Important reassurance
You do not need certainty or proof before asking for support. Agreeing to an intimate call or sexual activity does not mean that you wanted or agreed to a recording, and another person’s decision to record, threaten, or share intimate material is not your fault.
Scope note
This guide covers immediate safety, basic account protection, limited documentation, and specialist support routes only. Later decisions about reporting, removal requests, legal options, workplace concerns, or continuing contact may require specialist help.
Important note
This is general information, not legal, investigative, therapeutic, cybersecurity, or other professional advice. Recording, privacy, and intimate-image-sharing rules vary by state and situation, so a qualified local professional can explain how they apply to a particular case.
Additional Resources
- RAINN — Hotline
- Cybercivilrights — Ccri safety center
- Consumer Advice — Image-Based Abuse: What To Know and Do
- TakeItDown.ftc.gov — JavaScript Required
- Stopncii — Stop Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse
- Ic3 — Welcome to the Internet Crime Complaint Center
- Take It Down — Ncmec
- U.S. Department of Justice — Sharing of Intimate Images Without Consent: Know Your Rights
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.