uk Sexual violence & highly sensitive situations

What to do if…
someone pressures you to send intimate photos, videos, voice notes, or live sexual content

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: 28 July 2026 Last reviewed: 15 August 2026 Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

End the conversation or live call and do not send or perform anything you do not freely want to. Move to a safer place and contact someone you trust; call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

Do not do these things

Do not send more content to prove trust, calm the person down, or try to stop their demands.
Do not pay or send more content in response to threats.
Do not arrange an in-person meeting to try to settle the pressure or threats.
Do not argue, threaten them back, or keep negotiating while you feel frightened.
Do not forward intimate files to somebody else as proof.
Do not blame yourself if you have already sent something or appeared on camera.
If it feels safe, leave the conversation undeleted for now and avoid copying, forwarding, or screenshotting sexual images.

What to do now

End the live stream or call, turn off your camera and microphone, and step away from the conversation.
Move somewhere you feel safer. If the person is nearby, threatening you, or stopping you from leaving, call 999 or ask someone nearby to call.
Tell one trusted person what is happening. Ask them to stay with you in person or on another call while you settle.
You do not have to reply, explain, or persuade the person. Mute, restrict, or block them when doing so feels safe.
If they may know your password or have access to your account, and changing security settings will not increase your personal risk, use a safer device to change the password, log out other sessions, and turn on two-step verification. If the person may monitor or control your devices or shared accounts, use specialist tech-safety guidance before making changes they could notice.
If you are under 18, contact Childline for confidential support. CEOP accepts reports about online sexual abuse or grooming, and Report Remove can help if a sexual image or video of you has been shared or may be posted.
If you are 18 or over and an intimate image or video has been shared or threatened, contact the Revenge Porn Helpline. Report Harmful Content can also advise about harmful sexual content or harassment online.
Report the account or content through the platform when you feel able. You may contact the police on 101 or online if you choose to report and there is no immediate danger.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now whether to end a relationship, confront the person, tell everyone, contact the police, or choose a label for what happened. Unless somebody is in immediate danger, focus first on stopping the contact, reaching a safer place, and involving one supportive person.

Important reassurance

You do not owe anyone intimate or sexual content. You are allowed to stop at any point, including if you previously agreed, sent other content, accepted gifts, flirted, or are in a relationship with the person. If you have already sent something, the pressure or threats are not your fault.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate first steps only. Later decisions about reporting, content removal, relationships, school or work, and specialist support may require help from an appropriate service.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, medical, therapeutic, or other professional advice. Emergency services and specialist organisations can help you assess your particular situation.

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.

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