Intimate image abuse, also known as revenge porn’, non-consensual pornography or image-based sexual abuse is the creation of and distribution or threat of distribution of sexually explicit images or videos of individuals without their consent, with the punitive intention to create public humiliation or character assassination out of revenge against the victim. The material may be used by the perpetrators to blackmail the subjects into performing other sexual acts, to coerce them into continuing a relationship or to punish them for ending one, to silence them, to damage their reputation, and/or for financial gain.
Legislation was established by the UK government in 2015 and those found guilty of it, can be sentenced to up to 2 years in prison and a fine.
The helpline was established alongside the legislation by a collaboration of the Home Office, Helplines Partnership, the UK Safer internet Centre and SWGfL. The aim is to provide advice and support to victims of revenge porn that are over the age of 18 that live in the UK. They will provide advice and support from one of the helpline practitioners. They will help with reporting and removing content, advise on how to report and remove content from social media platforms, advise on how and evidence to gather to report to the authorities and direct callers to a free legal advice service to provide more information and options.
The Helpline is run by 6 women in an office near Exeter, Devon and is funded by the UK Government and donations. It’s open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays.
You can contact the helpline via phone (0345 6000 459-calls cost the same as standard landline numbers that start with 01 or 02) or email (help@revengepornhelpline.org.uk). There is also an automated step-by-step chatbot called REIYA that asks questions about what you have been experiencing to provide advice and direct you to the best service for support.
In 2023, it received just under 19,000 reports in 2023, and it’s maintained a successful takedown rate of 90% since 2020. It’s clearly an efficient system so if you or anyone you know has fallen victim to intimate image abuse, be sure to visit the website.
