Report internet crime

If you discover illegal or offensive material on the internet, please do not contact Sussex Police directly. Instead, contact the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

The IWF has a specific remit to operate a hotline for members of the public to report incidences of illegal online content defined as:

child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world
criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK
non-photographic child sexual abuse hosted in the UK

If they decide any action is needed, they will contact the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or the police, who can take appropriate action. It's worth remembering that evidence of illegal or offensive material can be detected even after it has been deleted from a computer.

The IWF are qualified to judge the illegality of material and will report matters to the relevant police force.

Reports from the public help the IWF to remove the images from the internet and to support the investigative processes which could bring those responsible to justice.

Child sexual abuse images record the real abuse of a child and your reports to the IWF might help the authorities to trace and rescue a young victim from further exploitation.