Dealing with intimate image abuse (“revenge porn”)
Intimate image abuse, also known as "revenge porn", is when someone shares or posts sexually explicit images or videos of you without your permission. These private images or videos are shared maliciously to cause distress, humiliation or harm.
Often the images were originally taken or shared with consent during a relationship but are later shared without consent following a breakup. In other cases, the images may have been taken without permission or obtained through other means, including hacking or coercion.
The images may be shared privately (for example via WhatsApp or messaging apps) or publicly on social media platforms, pornography websites or other online services.
In South Africa, sharing intimate images without consent can be a criminal offence. Section 16 of the Cybercrimes Act criminalises the unlawful and intentional disclosure of an intimate image by electronic communication without the person's consent. Other legislation, including the Films and Publications Act framework, may also apply. If you are unsure, report the matter to SAPS and seek specialist legal or victim support.
If someone is threatening to share intimate images but has not yet done so, see the Content for Ransom guide. If someone recorded intimate content during an online interaction and is demanding money or further images to prevent it being shared, see the Webcam Blackmail (Sextortion) guide.
If someone is threatening to share intimate images to control, frighten, blackmail or extort you, treat this as a serious situation even if nothing has yet been shared. Consider reporting the matter to SAPS. If the abuse involves a current or former partner, family member, stalking, coercive control or violence, contact a GBV or domestic violence support service for safety planning.
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Approaches to dealing with intimate image abuse aka “revenge porn”
If the content has not yet been shared
If you have a copy of the content - If you are 18 years or older, StopNCII.org may be able to help prevent intimate images from being uploaded to participating platforms by creating a secure digital fingerprint of the images.
If the images involve someone under the age of 18, use Take It Down, which helps participating platforms detect and remove child sexual abuse material and self-generated intimate images involving children and young people.
Setting up monitoring - setting up Google Alerts for your name may help you identify if content appears in Google Search. Google can notify you when new search results matching your name become available.
Get specialist support - Consider reporting non-consensual intimate image sharing to:
SAPS for criminal investigation.
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) where harmful online content may require reporting.
The GBV Command Centre or another victim support organisation if the abuse involves domestic abuse, coercive control, stalking, threats or sexual violence.
Review your privacy settings- Increase the privacy settings on your social media accounts and remove connections you do not know or trust.
If you think the images were accessed illegally - If someone obtained the images by hacking your accounts or devices, preserve any evidence, secure your accounts, and report the offence to SAPS.
The content may never be shared- Sometimes threats are used simply to control or manipulate someone rather than to actually release the images. If someone is using threats to control you, particularly within a relationship, seek support from a domestic violence or GBV service.
If the content has already been shared
Keep a copy of the evidence - Keep copies of the evidence
Although your first instinct may be to have the content removed immediately, first preserve evidence where it is safe to do so.
Record:
What was shared.
Where it was shared.
When it was shared.
The usernames or accounts involved.
Take screenshots where possible and keep them somewhere secure. If the abuse has occurred over a period of time, create a timeline of events. This information may assist SAPS if you decide to report the matter.
Report it to SAPS- Intimate image abuse may constitute a criminal offence. Report the matter as soon as possible before evidence is lost or deleted.
Don’t engage with the person responsible - Avoid contacting or negotiating with the person who shared or threatened to share the content, as this may escalate the situation.
If someone is demanding money, further images or other actions in exchange for removing the content, do not comply if it is safe not to.
If you have already paid - Contact your bank, payment provider or cryptocurrency exchange immediately to determine whether the payment can be stopped, reversed or traced. Keep receipts, transaction IDs and payment confirmations as evidence.
Contact the platform hosting the content - Report the content to the platform and explain that it has been shared without your consent.
Where possible:
Ask for the content to be removed.
Ask the platform to preserve relevant account, upload and access information before removing the content, as this may assist law enforcement if the matter is investigated.
If you originally created the images or videos, you may also hold copyright in that content, which may provide an additional basis for requesting removal.
Request removal from search engines - You may also request that search engines remove links to non-consensual explicit images or related personal information from search results. While this does not remove the original content, it can make it significantly harder to find.
Where content is not removed, South African privacy or legal remedies may also be available. Consider obtaining legal advice if necessary.
Avoid monitoring the content- Repeatedly checking whether the content remains online or reading comments can increase distress. Once reports have been submitted, try to avoid monitoring the material yourself.
Seek support - Having intimate images shared without consent can have a significant emotional impact. Reach out to trusted friends, family members or professional support services if you need emotional support.
Review your online security - Increase the privacy settings on your social media accounts, review who can contact you, and remove followers or contacts you do not recognise or trust.
Reporting intimate image abuse to SAPS
If you wish to report intimate image abuse in South Africa:
Visit your nearest SAPS police station to open a criminal case.
If you are in immediate danger, call 10111.
To provide crime information anonymously, contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Intimate image abuse is a criminal matter and SAPS may be able to investigate the offence, obtain evidence and assist with legal processes relating to the removal of content.
If you are under 18
If you are under 18, or the images or videos depict someone under 18, this should be treated as a child protection matter.
Report the matter to SAPS immediately.
You should also consider reporting harmful online content involving children to the Film and Publication Board through its child protection reporting channels.
Children, young people and parents can also contact Childline South Africa (116) for advice and support.
If there is immediate danger, call 10111.
Specialist support in South Africa
Depending on the circumstances, additional support may be available from:
SAPS for criminal reporting and investigation.
Film and Publication Board (FPB) for reporting harmful or non-consensual online content.
GBV Command Centre for domestic abuse, coercive control, threats and safety planning.
Childline South Africa for children, young people and families affected by intimate image abuse.
If you need emotional support, seek assistance from an appropriate counselling or victim support service.
If content has been shared internationally or on major online platforms, if you are aged 18 and over you may also find the guidance provided by StopNCII.org helpful for understanding content removal processes on participating platforms.
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