British police often fail to investigate reports of intimate-image abuse
Review of 39 police forces leads to formal complaint about policing in England and Wales.
Police forces in England and Wales often fail to record or properly investigate reports of intimate images shared without consent, according to new research. Lawyers and support organisations have therefore submitted a so-called super-complaint.
Data from 39 police forces show, according to the research, that in 2025 a suspect was charged in an average of just 4.5 per cent of reports. That percentage does not indicate how many cases led to a conviction; it relates solely to the step of bringing a charge.
The researchers spoke to 100 people who reported that intimate images had been shared online without their consent or that they had been threatened with this. They say reports were regularly rejected, not recognised as criminal offences or turned back on the person making the report.
The Revenge Porn Helpline, an organisation that helps victims have images taken offline, received nearly 25,000 reports in 2025. According to the researchers, the number of referrals to the helpline has risen by more than 4,000 per cent since 2015.
The UK Home Office has introduced new criminal offences in recent years. The Crime and Policing Act 2026, among other measures, extends certain time limits for prosecutions and requires online platforms to remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours.
The new complaint will be assessed jointly by the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct. They may decide to launch a broader investigation into how police forces record and investigate reports and refer them to the Crown Prosecution Service.
The issue also touches on the rise of synthetic image manipulation. Researchers warn that generative AI makes it easier to create and distribute fake images. The British case therefore shows that new legislation does not automatically lead to better policing practice.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Researchers found low charging rates for reports of intimate-image abuse.
- British law contains new obligations for platforms and longer time limits for prosecutions.
- A super-complaint is assessed by the College of Policing and the police complaints body.
Left
Arguments Low charging rates and reports of cases being minimised point to institutional failure. Police and platforms must take more systematic responsibility for protecting victims.
Values Equality, protection from gender-based violence and access to justice.
Consequences More specialised teams and oversight could increase people’s willingness to report, but would require additional public funding.
Centre
Arguments The new rules should be implemented with better training, clear evidential standards and verifiable record-keeping. Not every report automatically provides sufficient evidence for a charge.
Values Due process, practicability and protection of those involved.
Consequences A professional approach could better protect both victims and suspects, but requires time and national standards.
Right
Arguments Police and prosecutors must take digital crimes seriously, but new obligations must not lead to automatic removal without an opportunity to appeal or to convictions based on unsubstantiated reports.
Values Legal certainty, proportionality and offender accountability.
Consequences Stronger enforcement could reduce abuse, while overly rapid removal or prosecution could also affect legitimate expression and evidential rights.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The key figures and the super-complaint come from public-interest investigative journalism. The legal measures were checked against official British documents and were not confused with police implementation.
- confirmed Across 39 police forces, a charge was brought in an average of 4.5 per cent of cases in 2025. — The Guardian reports this figure based on the research. source
- confirmed The Revenge Porn Helpline received nearly 25,000 reports in 2025. — The figure is linked by The Guardian to Home Office data and the helpline. source
- confirmed British platforms must remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours. — The British government describes this legal obligation. source
Editor's note
The figures come from research described by The Guardian; the British government confirms the new legal measures. A low charging rate is not the same as a low conviction rate.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „verenigd koninkrijk”
- De Telegraaf — „verenigd koninkrijk”
- AD — „verenigd koninkrijk”