What to do if something goes wrong

By White Rabbit Editorial · Published 26 September 2026 · 5 min read

If something goes wrong, get yourself safe first, then preserve evidence, report the person to the platform and — if you choose — the police, and reach out for support. You can take these steps in whatever order feels manageable, and you can take them over days rather than hours. None of it depends on explaining or defending your private life.

1. Get safe

• In immediate danger: call 999 in the UK, 911 in the US, or 112 across the EU.
• Leave if you can, and go somewhere public or to someone you trust. Venue staff can help.
• Tell someone what happened and where you are.

2. If you’ve been sexually assaulted

What you do next is your choice, and there’s no wrong one. A few things are worth knowing:

• Medical care matters, whether or not you report. In the UK, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) offer medical care and can store forensic evidence while you decide whether to go to the police. In the US, hospitals can arrange a forensic exam.
• Support lines: in England and Wales, the Rape Crisis 24/7 Support Line is 0808 500 2222. In the US, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline is 800-656-4673. Scotland, Northern Ireland and other countries have their own services.
• It is not your fault — not because of where you met, what you agreed to before, what you wore or drank, or the kind of relationship you’re in. Consent to one thing is never consent to everything.

3. Preserve evidence

Before you block or delete anything:

1. Screenshot the person’s profile and username.
2. Screenshot messages, including dates and times.
3. Save any payment details, links or phone numbers they used.
4. Write down what happened while it’s fresh — where, when, and anyone who saw you together.
5. Keep copies somewhere private, such as a secure note or an email to a separate address.

4. Report it

• To the platform. Report the account on every app involved. It protects others, and platforms act faster with evidence.
• To the police. In the UK, call 101 for non-emergencies or report online to your local force. In the US, contact local police, and report online fraud or blackmail to the FBI at ic3.gov.
• To your bank, immediately, if you’ve sent money — see scams and catfishing.

5. If intimate images have been shared or threatened

• Don’t pay or negotiate. See the sextortion guide.
• StopNCII.org creates a hash of the image on your own device so participating platforms can detect and block it. The image itself is never uploaded.
• The Revenge Porn Helpline (UK) supports adults with intimate-image abuse, including help getting content removed.
• The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (US) runs a crisis helpline and resources for victims of image-based abuse.

6. Look after yourself

Feeling shaken, ashamed, numb or angry afterwards is normal. Talking helps, whether to a friend, a specialist service or a counsellor. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans are available any time on 116 123. If your worry is being exposed, remember that the people who’ve wronged you are counting on that fear — support services are confidential.

How White Rabbit helps

On White Rabbit, blocking and reporting are free, immediate and never behind a paywall, and reports go straight to our moderation team. Blocking makes you mutually invisible. If you need to leave the app in a hurry, panic-hide switches to a neutral decoy screen in one tap — or a double press of Escape. See safety & discretion →

Frequently asked questions

Sources & further reading

• Rape Crisis England & Wales — Rape Crisis England & Wales
• RAINN — National Sexual Assault Hotline — RAINN (US)
• Help after rape and sexual assault — NHS
• StopNCII.org — help stopping intimate images being shared — SWGfL (UK charity)
• Revenge Porn Helpline — SWGfL (UK charity)
• Cyber Civil Rights Initiative — Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (US)
• Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) — FBI (US)
• Samaritans — Samaritans (UK & Ireland)

How we write and check these pages: editorial standards. This is general information, not legal, medical or therapeutic advice.

Keep reading

• Sextortion: how to prevent it, and what to do if it happens
• Red flags in kink, D/s and non-monogamy
• Safety & discretion at White Rabbit