New online reporting service for victims of intimate image abuse

Intimate image abuse is when someone shares, or threatens to share, intimate photos or videos of you without your permission. It can also include someone creating a fake intimate image or video of you that appears real, without your permission.

The new service offers clear, practical advice for anyone whose private images have been shared without consent, including help with getting content removed from online platforms, preventing future uploads, and preserving important digital evidence.

It brings together dedicated reporting routes specifically for victims of image abuse with access to help and emotional support from the Revenge Porn Helpline, and has been developed with support from the Digital Public Contact programme.

Its launch follows a rise in reports of non-consensual intimate images being shared online. The Helpline has recorded an exponential rise in cases, with reported incidents growing from 521 in 2015 to 22,264 in 2024 - a more than fortyfold increase. 

Growing awareness of image-based abuse, along with the recent criminalisation of creating non-consensual AI-generated ‘deepfakes’, is expected to increase the number of people reporting to the police and seeking help.

Police are working directly with victims and support organisations to improve how cases are investigated and prosecuted as part of a wider partnership with the Revenge Porn Helpline.

Detective Chief Superintendent Claire Hammond, part of the National Centre for Violence Against Women and Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP), said: “The law is clear - sharing, or threatening to share, an intimate image without the person's consent is illegal, and we will take action.

“Too often victims of image abuse are suffering in silence due to fear, shame, or concern that they won’t be taken seriously. We know how important it is to receive the right help and support when you need it most, and we hope that the new reporting service will help victims to reclaim control and give them the confidence they need to report to the police.”

Sophie Mortimer, Head of Support Services at the Revenge Porn Helpline, said: "Reporting intimate image abuse to the police can be extremely difficult for the individual who has been affected.  

“Initiatives like this that make the reporting process simpler and more accommodating for those who do not wish to speak on the phone can help individuals feel they are being better supported, listened to and that their concerns will be handled with the utmost care and professionalism. Intimate image abuse is a crime and no one should feel like they are unable to report it."