Advice
Advice for commercial content creators and sex workers
Whilst the Helpline's remit is to support private sexual content non-consensually shared, we know and understand that commercial content can also be misused and abused. We have collated some advice for what to do if you are a content creator or sex worker and have had your sexual images shared, threatened to be shared or taken without your consent.
What to do if you have had commercial sexual content shared without your consent
Is this against the law?
In the UK, it is an offence to share and threaten to share private sexual images and videos without consent and with the intention to cause that individual distress. Professionally created images or videos would not be considered 'private' so this law cannot be applied.
If you own the content, it may be that copyright laws have been breached and there could be a civil law pathway applicable.
What to do:
1. Find help from the platform. Depending on the website or platform where your original content has been stolen, you could get help with the removal. Some platforms have support or DMCA teams who can help request the takedown of content if it has been shared elsewhere online.
2. Reverse image search. Reverse image searching allows you to find other websites that contain the image you’re looking for. If someone has shared or threatened to share, your intimate images without consent and you want to find where, or if, it has been posted, this could be a useful tool. Find out how to reverse image search here.
3. Submit a DMCA. If you own the copyright to the image or video which has been shared elsewhere you may be able to request its removal via a DMCA or a content removal form. Find out how to report something for removal here.
4. Report to NUM. If you're not already a member of National Ugly Mugs, you can create a free account and find support, safety advice, and a range of tools. This allows sex workers to report harm, crime, or violence, please find more information about the tools here.
What is 'blackmail'?
Blackmail is the demand for payment or another benefit from someone in return for not revealing compromising or damaging information about them. We know that many perpetrators blackmail victims and threaten to expose their sex worker status by demanding payment or further sexual acts, this would be considered blackmail.
Is it against the law?
Blackmail is a very serious crime in the UK and carries very hefty prison sentences should someone be found guilty. Find out more about Blackmail offences here.
What to do if you are being blackmailed or threatened
1. Collect evidence. This can include screenshots of messages where the threats have been made, screenshots of the profile they are using, usernames and times, and dates of when the messages were sent.
2. Block, report and stop communication. After you have collected all the screenshots and evidence you can, we advise blocking all communication with the perpetrator, reporting any accounts they may have used to contact you or share the content on.
3. Report to the police. Blackmail is a serious crime in the UK and you do have the option to report what has happened to the police. You can get in touch with the police by calling their non-emergency 101 number or the online reporting form for your police force.
4. Report to NUM. If you're not already a member of National Ugly Mugs, you can create a free account and find support, safety advice, and a range of tools. This allows sex workers to report harm, crime, or violence, please find more information about the tools here.
What is Voyeurism?
Voyeurism is the act of recording a private or sexual image or video of someone without their knowledge or consent for the purpose of gaining sexual gratification.
There are four main offences within the voyeurism legislation:
- Getting sexual gratification from watching another person doing a private sexual act and not knowing they have been watched
- Operating equipment with the intention of having them or someone else watching for sexual gratification from an unconsenting person doing a private act
- Recording an unconsenting person doing a private act and does with intention of them or, someone else, getting sexual gratification
- Installing equipment with the intention of watching an unconsenting person doing a private act for sexual gratification
Regardless of how this footage was obtained, it is against the law and the Helpline can support in advising on what to do and assist with the removal of voyeuristic content if shared online without consent.
Please find further information and advice about Voyeurism here
What is harassment?
Harassment is repeated and unwanted behaviour that is intended to cause distress or make you feel intimidated or humiliated. It can happen on its own or alongside other forms of discrimination.
Online harassmentis where the harassment occurs online, for example on social media platforms or via text messages. This could include threatening or abusive messages or repetitive unwanted communication.
Is it against the law?
Harassment is against the law in the UK. The law states that you must have experienced at least two incidents by the same person or group of people for it to be harassment.
What to do if you're being harassed online
1. Collect evidence. This can include taking screenshots of where the harassment took place but also call logs or private messages you have received with the dates and times they were sent. It may also be a good idea to create a timeline of events in as much detail as possible, this could include times/dates of when incidents occurred to help you keep track of what has happened and when.
2. Report the crime to the police. Harassment is against the law in the UK. You can get report the crime to the police by using their non-emergency 101 number or the online reporting form for your police force. Remember, you are a victim of crime. Be prepared that they may not know the best way to deal with your problem, but you should always expect a non-biased, non-judgemental response.
3. Find advice from Report Harmful Content. If the harassment is taking place on a social media platform, you can find advice on how to report this via Report Harmful Content here. If you have already reported the content and they have replied to say no action will be taken, Report Harmful Content may be able to provide further support, you can submit a form here to contact the service.
4. Report to the platform. Most forms of harassment are banned by most platforms, including fan and cam sites. If the harassment you are facing is from a subscriber on your platform, we would strongly suggest reporting the user to the platform so they can act accordingly based on their terms of service, and also to prevent the user from displaying the same behaviour to someone else.
5. Report to NUM. If you're not already a member of National Ugly Mugs, you can create a free account and find support, safety advice, and a range of tools. This allows sex workers to report harm, crime, or violence, please find more information about the tools here.