Police face super-complaint over handling of image-based abuse

The complaint, submitted by the Centre for Women’s Justice and Leigh Day, draws on police data from 39 forces, more than 100 accounts from survivors and 23 detailed case studies covering 17 forces.

The organisations say their research identified “consistent” problems with how reports of image-based abuse are handled, including delays, poor communication and failures to gather evidence.

Image-based abuse includes the taking, sharing or creation of intimate images without consent, as well as threats to do so. The organisations said the emergence of AI tools had created new ways for offenders to produce and distribute abusive material.

Their analysis found that the charging rate for offences under section 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 was 4.5 per cent in 2025 across the 39 forces examined.

In some forces the rate was below 1%. Avon and Somerset recorded 136 offences with a recorded outcome but only one charge, giving a charging rate of 0.7 per cent while Cleveland recorded 80 offences and one charge, a rate of 1.3 per cent.

Home Office data cited by the organisations showed there were 569 charges for image-based abuse in 2025/26. The research also found that 44 per cent of respondents to its survivor survey had chosen not to report their abuse to police.

Of those who did report incidents, 65 per cent said they experienced problems with evidence gathering and only 15 per cent said police had taken steps to remove or take down the images.

Among 23 detailed case studies, almost 80% involved reported problems with evidence gathering, including alleged failures to identify or interview suspects, seize or examine devices and understand online platforms and digital evidence.

More than 60 per cent of the case studies also reported excessive delays and problems with police communication.

The organisations are calling for national guidance on investigating image-based abuse, faster investigations, improved handling of digital evidence and better communication with victims.

The super-complaint will first have to be assessed for eligibility. If accepted, it will be considered jointly by HMICFRS, the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

The investigating bodies can undertake further research, consult police forces and conduct dip sampling before publishing their findings and recommendations. The process can take around two years.

The complaint comes as the Government introduces new measures addressing intimate image abuse. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 includes new offences relating to intimate images and duties on online platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of a report.

The organisations behind the complaint said the police response needed to keep pace with changes in technology and the law.

The figures and findings in the super-complaint are allegations by the organisations that submitted it and have not yet been independently established by the bodies responsible for investigating police super-complaints.