Cyberflashing
In this section:
| 1. What is cyberflashing |
| 2. What you can do: reporting it to us |
| 3. Reporting it to social media companies if it happened online |
| 4. Help and support |
Cyberflashing is when someone sends you a photo of genitals without your permission. It is sometimes called 'dick pics' or 'flashing'. It is illegal to do this.
They might do it to cause you distress or to embarrass you. It could also be for their own sexual pleasure without caring about how it makes you feel.
It doesn't matter if the photo shows a person's real genitals, or if the photo has been computer generated to look like someone's genitals.
Cyberflashing can happen to anyone. It is never your fault and you are not to blame. It happens both online and offline.
Here are some examples of cyberflashing:
- a picture or video sent over a social media site or a dating app
- a picture or video sent through Bluetooth that allows someone to send files to you close by
- a picture or video placed somewhere for you to see it, such as on your desk or on someone's phone on public transport
If someone deliberately exposes their genitals in person to frighten or upset you, this is known as indecent exposure. You can also report this to us.
If you are a victim of cyberflashing you might feel anxiety, fear and feelings of distrust and violation. Or you might not feel alarmed or distressed at all. There's no right or wrong way to feel, and we understand that. There is help and support available to you how ever you feel.
We always take cyberflashing seriously and understand it takes courage to talk to us.
People who cyberflash can go on to commit more serious offences. Your report could stop this from happening.