PanicStation.org
UK USA
uk Sexual violence & highly sensitive situations

What to do if…
you realise someone is collecting your photos and making sexual comments about you online

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop engaging, make your accounts harder to access, and save what you safely can before reporting the accounts and posts. If you are in immediate danger, call 999; if this is escalating but not an emergency, use 101 or official online police reporting.

Do not do these things

  • Do not message, argue with, threaten, or warn the person.
  • Do not post public call-outs with their username or screenshots, because this can spread the material further.
  • Do not delay urgent help or reporting just to collect evidence.
  • Do not delete everything before saving basic details, if you can safely save them.
  • Do not negotiate with threats, blackmail, or demands for more images.
  • Do not assume it is harmless because it is online, especially if it is repeated or moving across platforms.

What to do now

  1. Get support beside you while you do the next steps.
    Tell one trusted person what you have found and ask them to stay with you, on the phone or in person. If you feel in immediate danger, call 999.

  2. Save a small private record, if it is safe to do so.
    Use a private folder, notes app, or document that is not shared. Save:

    • screenshots or short screen recordings of the posts, comments, messages, and profiles
    • usernames, platform names, profile links, and direct URLs where possible
    • dates, times, and any wording that mentions threats, your location, your routine, your work, your school, or your home
    • a short note showing where you first saw it and whether the same person is using more than one account

  3. Reduce what the person can see next.
    Start with the accounts where they are active:

    • switch the account to private, if possible
    • limit comments, tags, mentions, and direct messages to people you know
    • hide or archive posts that show your home, workplace, school, regular routes, gym, or other routine locations
    • remove location tags from recent posts and stories
    • check whether your profile has a public email, phone number, school, workplace, or linked account that you do not want visible

  4. Report the account and the specific content before blocking.
    On each platform, report the posts, comments, messages, and profile. Use the closest reporting category, such as harassment, sexual harassment, impersonation, privacy violation, or unauthorised use of your image. After reporting, block the account and any copycat accounts.

  5. If intimate images are involved or threatened, use specialist help.
    If nude or sexual images of you have been shared, made, or threatened, contact the Revenge Porn Helpline if you are an adult in the UK. They can give confidential advice and help with reporting and removal. StopNCII can also help adults create a case to reduce re-uploads on participating platforms.

  6. If you are under 18, or any sexual content involves someone under 18, use child-safety support.
    You do not need to handle this alone. Use CEOP’s Safety Centre, or ask a trusted adult to help you contact CEOP.

  7. Use official police routes if there is a pattern, fear, or escalation.
    If the behaviour is repeated and makes you feel scared, distressed, or threatened, you can report it through official police routes. Call 101 for non-emergency advice or reporting. Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger, a crime is happening now, or a crime has just happened.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide now whether to make a formal statement, take legal action, or contact a solicitor.
  • You do not need to do a perfect privacy overhaul tonight; focus first on private accounts, comment and message limits, and location or routine details.
  • You do not need to reply, explain yourself, prove your intentions, or defend yourself publicly.
  • You do not need to search every platform alone before asking for support.

Important reassurance

This is not your fault. Feeling shaken, watched, angry, embarrassed, or frozen is a normal response to being sexualised without consent. The first aim is containment: stop giving the person access to you, keep a basic record, and use platform, police, or specialist support where needed.

Scope note

These are first steps to stabilise the situation, reduce exposure, and reach appropriate support. Later decisions about ongoing monitoring, legal advice, school or workplace safety, or longer-term account changes may need specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, medical, therapeutic, financial, or professional advice. If you feel unsafe or the behaviour is escalating, prioritise immediate safety and contact emergency services.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

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.

Support us