The national online reporting website is currently off line.
If you wish to report an offence, you should visit your local police station, or call 0845 045 45 45.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) operates the only internet ‘hotline’ in the UK for reporting illegal images on the web.
The aim of the scheme is to minimise the availability of illegal online content to protect internet users. Working in partnership with the police, the government and the internet and mobile industries, the IWF provides this service to the general public for free.
What do we mean by illegal images on the web?
This means images, and in some cases text, that you see or may be inadvertently exposed to on a website, which contain any of the following:
- Child abuse images (also known as ‘child pornography’)
- Criminally obscene content, which means images featuring acts of extreme and violent sexual activity
- Criminally racist content, which may provoke racial hatred by reference to skin colour, race, nationality, or ethnic origin
Don’t ignore it, report it!
If you genuinely stumble across such images accidentally, or are inadvertently exposed to them, you must report them to the IWF. It is an offence to deliberately seek out illegal images, and purposely viewing child abuse images can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Why should I report these images?
Reports from the public help us to combat this content and, where possible, have it removed. This makes the internet a safer place for everyone.
Child abuse images reflect the real abuse of a child and your reports to the hotline might help the authorities to trace and rescue a young victim from further abuse.
How do I report?
Go to the IWF website www.iwf.org.uk and complete the step-by-step form. The form is easy to navigate and reports can be submitted anonymously.
Hate Crime - 'True Vision' scheme
The ‘True Vision’ project is a new national police campaign aimed at raising the public’s awareness of hate crime.
It centres on a pocket-sized information pack that provides advice and support, together with a self-reporting form to report incidents of hate crime.
To find out more about 'True Vision' visit the Official True Vision website.
