Eleanor StonePeter Andre revealed this week that his 18-year-old daughter Princess Andre has been receiving "gross graphic images" from men online, describing his reaction as one of horror and calling publicly for stricter social media restrictions for under-16s. The disclosure has prompted a wider conversation about online sexual harassment in the UK — and the legal protections that exist for those who receive unsolicited explicit content.
Princess, who rose to public attention through her ITV2 reality show The Princess Diaries and recently signed for a BBC series alongside her brother Junior, told media in 2026 that "weird men" and "a few celebrities" had been sliding into her DMs. But the disclosure about graphic images represents a more serious legal matter — one that many victims, famous or otherwise, do not know they have concrete rights around.
What UK Law Says About Sending Unsolicited Explicit Images
The Online Safety Act 2023, which has been progressively rolling out across the UK, introduced significant new offences relating to online harassment and the sending of unwanted sexual content. As of January 2024, it is a criminal offence in England and Wales to send a nude or sexual image to someone without their consent, with the intent to cause distress, alarm, or humiliation.
This offence — sometimes called "cyberflashing" — carries a maximum sentence of two years' imprisonment. Scotland had already introduced equivalent provisions through the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm Act 2016, making the UK one of the few jurisdictions in the world where cyberflashing is explicitly criminalised across all home nations.
The law does not require that the victim respond to or save the image. The act of sending it is the offence. Victims do not need to prove lasting harm: the intent to alarm or humiliate is sufficient.
Who Is Targeted and How Common Is It?
The experience Princess Andre describes is not unusual. A 2023 survey by the End Violence Against Women Coalition found that 76% of young women aged 18-24 in the UK had received an unsolicited explicit image or message online. For those with a public social media presence — which increasingly means anyone, not only celebrities — the volume can be overwhelming.
The majority of victims do not report these incidents to police. Research from the Revenge Porn Helpline found that many victims are unaware that the behaviour is illegal, unsure how to preserve evidence, or concerned that reporting will not result in action.
These concerns are understandable, but legal professionals working in this area argue that the landscape has shifted materially since the Online Safety Act's passage. Social media platforms are now subject to greater obligations to remove such content and cooperate with law enforcement requests.
Your Legal Options if You Receive Unsolicited Explicit Images
If you or someone you know has received unsolicited graphic or sexual images online, UK lawyers specialising in online harassment recommend the following steps:
1. Preserve evidence immediately. Take screenshots of the message, the sender's profile, and any profile information before blocking. Do not delete the content before reporting. Evidence preservation is the single most important step you can take.
2. Report to the platform. Under the Online Safety Act, major platforms have statutory obligations to respond to reports of illegal content. File a report using the platform's safety centre. Keep a record of your report reference number.
3. Report to police. You can report cyberflashing to your local police force or via the Action Fraud hotline. Online offences are investigated by police force cyber units. Reports can be made online without attending a station.
4. Contact the Revenge Porn Helpline. The Revenge Porn Helpline (0345 6000 459) provides free confidential support to anyone affected by the non-consensual sharing or sending of intimate images. They can assist with evidence preservation and police reporting.
5. Seek legal advice. A solicitor specialising in online harassment can advise on civil as well as criminal options. Civil harassment orders and injunctions are available in cases of persistent or escalating contact. According to gov.uk guidance on harassment, civil remedies exist alongside criminal law.
When Is It Time to Consult a Lawyer?
Many people assume that legal advice is only relevant once a matter has reached crisis point. In online harassment cases, the opposite is true. Early legal advice — before a situation escalates — is considerably more effective than reactive legal action.
A solicitor specialising in online harassment or media law can advise on:
- Whether a specific incident constitutes a criminal offence and how to report it effectively
- Whether the volume or nature of contact constitutes a civil harassment claim
- Whether to seek a Non-Harassment Order or injunction to prevent further contact
- How to approach a platform, employer, or public body if they have failed to act on a complaint
- Reputational management if threatening or unwanted content has been shared more widely
For young people and public figures alike, the combination of immediate evidence preservation and early legal consultation is the most effective response. Cases where evidence is properly preserved from the outset have materially better outcomes than those where victims act without guidance.
The Broader Picture: The Online Safety Act's Ongoing Rollout
The Online Safety Act is still being implemented. New duties on platforms, including stronger age verification requirements, are being phased in through 2026. Ofcom published its first enforcement guidance under the Act in February 2026, and the first regulatory fines for platform non-compliance are expected later this year.
For now, the Act's cyberflashing provisions represent the strongest tool available to victims. But awareness remains low. In a recent Ofcom survey, fewer than 30% of UK adults were aware that sending unsolicited explicit images online was a criminal offence.
Peter Andre's public intervention, prompted by what his daughter experienced, may be frustrating in its imprecision — he called for banning under-16s from social media entirely, a position not supported by the Online Safety Act's framework — but his instinct to speak out is valuable. The normalisation of sending graphic images to women online is not a trivial social phenomenon. It is a criminal matter that UK law has explicitly addressed.
If you or someone you know is experiencing this form of harassment, legal support is available and accessible. An initial consultation with a solicitor specialising in online harassment is the right first step. For related legal protections, see our coverage of UK stalking law reforms and what they mean for victims.
This article covers legal rights in England and Wales. Scottish and Northern Irish law may differ in some specifics. This article does not constitute legal advice. For urgent situations, contact the Revenge Porn Helpline on 0345 6000 459.
