IPAt the Revenge Porn Helpline, we recognise that intimate image abuse is not always about sexual or nude images. In some situations, an image or video may be perfectly ordinary by UK legal standards, but deeply personal, private, or unacceptable within someone’s culture, religion, or community.
This might include:
- A woman appearing without a hijab or head covering in front of people outside of her immediate family.
- Images showing physical contact with someone of the opposite gender, for instance hugging or hand holding.
- Images showing tattoos, certain clothing styles, or settings that go against community norms.
- Content that reveals someone’s sexuality or relationships that they may not be open about.
Even when this content is not sexual in nature, sharing it without consent can have serious consequences, including reputational harm, family conflict, or even risks to personal safety. If this has happened to you, here are some practical steps you can take to protect yourself.
Preserve evidence
It is important to have a record of what is happening. Take screenshots of any messages, threats, or shared images. Save web links (URLs) to where the content has been posted or is being threatened to be posted. Keep these in a safe place where the perpetrator cannot access them.
Assess your safety
If there is a risk that the image or video could put you in physical danger, you could think about immediate steps you could take to protect yourself. This might be staying with someone you trust, or seeking advice from the police or specialist support services.
Avoid responding to threats
It can be tempting to negotiate with the person who may be threatening you, in the hope the perpetrator will stop. Unfortunately, this rarely works. It often encourages further threats. Instead, focus on collecting evidence and reporting the incident to the police, or confiding in someone you trust.
Seek confidential support
These situations can be incredibly stressful, particularly if you feel unable to tell family or community members. You do not have to handle this alone. The Helpline is confidential and non-judgmental, we can talk through your options, and advise on the safest way to report the abuse.
The Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK), who despite their name, support woman of all different religious and cultural backgrounds. MWNUK provide advocacy, advice, and support on a range of issues including abuse, discrimination, forced marriage, honour-based violence, and other forms of harm. They operate a confidential Helpline that both men and women can contact. https://www.mwnuk.co.uk/
You can also access support from Karma Nirvana who run the national Honour Based Abuse Helpline, train professionals, and campaign for change. The service provides support for you and anyone you know. Find advice and guidance from their website or contact the helpline directly. https://karmanirvana.org.uk/
How Report Harmful Content may be able to help
At the Revenge Porn Helpline we can help with reporting private sexual content when it has been posted publicly online without consent. You can read more about what this means here: https://revengepornhelpline.org.uk/news/how-do-i-know-if-my-content-is-private-and-sexual/
Our sister service Report Harmful Content (RHC), which is an additional service from SWGfL, is also designed to assist when you have already reported something to a website or social media platform but have not received the outcome you were hoping for.
If you have tried to get harmful content removed from one of the 22 partner platforms and the platform has refused or ignored your request, RHC may be able to step in and escalate the case on your behalf. This can include culturally sensitive content that is not nude or showing a sexual act.
Remember - this is not your fault
No matter what the image shows, the wrongdoing lies with the person sharing or threatening to share the content. You are not alone, you have done nothing wrong and you deserve support.
If you have been affected by culturally sensitive intimate image abuse, please contact the Revenge Porn Helpline. Find contact details, and how to reach out to the team from our website. Additionally you can use StopNCII.org to prevent intimate images from shared across digital platforms. Learn more about the global tool.
