What Is Evidence?

How to turn your experiences into an evidence file that police, courts and professionals have to take seriously.

Domestic abuse, coercive control and system failures can feel chaotic. You may have messages, memories, reports and screenshots scattered everywhere, and still feel like no one believes you.

Information is what you know. Evidence is what you can show.

This page explains what counts as evidence, how to collect it safely, and how to organise it so that police, social workers, solicitors and courts can actually use it.

You do not have to do this perfectly. You just have to start. 1VAA can walk you through the rest.

What Counts as Evidence?

Evidence is anything that helps to prove what has been happening, when it happened, and how it has affected you or your children.

Examples include:

Text messages, emails, WhatsApp and social media messages
Call logs, voicemail messages and written notes of phone calls
Photos and videos (injuries, damage to property, screenshots)
Medical records and GP / hospital notes
School records, safeguarding notes and behaviour reports
Police incident logs, crime reference numbers and statements
Social care reports, assessments and meeting minutes
Court orders, directions and judgments
Bank statements and financial records (economic abuse)
Written witness accounts from friends, family, neighbours or professionals
Your own incident log and chronology (timeline of events)

You do not need everything on this list. We will help you work with what you already have.

How to Build an Evidence File

A strong evidence file is:

Organised – so professionals can find what they need quickly
Factual – focused on what happened, not opinion or guesswork
Complete – includes dates, times, sources and context
Safe – stored in a way that does not put you or your children at risk

We usually recommend creating sections such as:

Section 1 – Incident Log (your ongoing record of events)
Section 2 – Chronology (timeline of key events)
Section 3 – Digital Evidence (messages, screenshots, emails)
Section 4 – Professional Records (police, school, medical, social care)
Section 5 – Court Orders & Legal Documents
Section 6 – Witness Statements (where appropriate)

Inside 1VAA Membership, we provide incident log examples, chronology templates and checklists to help you structure this step by step.

The Incident Log

Your incident log is a dated record of what has happened. It is one of the most powerful tools you can create.

For each entry, try to include:

Date and time
Where it happened (home, school, public place, online, etc.)
Who was present (adult and child names / initials)
What happened – short, factual description
How it affected you / the children (injuries, fear, behaviour changes, practical impact)
Reference to evidence (e.g. “see screenshot 03”, “see photo 05”, “see police ref number”)

Write in calm, neutral language. Avoid guessing someone’s motives – focus on what they did, what they said, and what you saw.

Chronology (Timeline of Events)

A chronology is a summary table or list that shows the “big picture” over time. It helps professionals see patterns of abuse, escalation and missed opportunities.

Typical entries include:

When the relationship started and major changes (moving in, separation, new partners)
First known incidents of abuse or controlling behaviour
Key disclosures by you or the children
Involvement of police, social care, school, medical services
Court hearings, orders and breaches
Any major incidents, threats, stalking or harassment

The chronology works together with your incident log and evidence file to show pattern, persistence and risk.

Digital Evidence (Messages, Emails, Screenshots)

Digital evidence often shows patterns of control, threats, harassment, manipulation or breach of orders.

Some tips:

Keep original messages where possible – do not edit them.
Take clear screenshots that show the date, time and sender.
Save files with simple names such as “2025-03-14 WhatsApp threat 01.png”.
Back up important evidence to a safe place that the abuser cannot access (secure cloud, trusted email, or an external device kept away from them).
Avoid storing sensitive evidence on shared devices or accounts.

Before you record calls or conversations, always check the law in your area or speak with a legal professional. We can help you understand what is usually accepted and what may cause problems.

Professional Records and Subject Access Requests

Records from professionals can be crucial:

GP and hospital notes
CAMHS or therapy reports
School and safeguarding records
Police incident logs and crime reports
Social worker assessments and minutes

You are usually entitled to see information that is held about you and your children.

1VAA provides Subject Access Request (SAR) templates and escalation routes so you can obtain:

Police records
Social care notes
School records
Medical records
Email and call logs (where available)

Witness Statements

Sometimes friends, family, neighbours or professionals have seen or heard things that support your account.

If appropriate and safe, they may provide a short written statement that includes:

Who they are and how they know you
What they saw or heard (dates if possible)
Any changes they noticed in you or the children

They should write in their own words. You do not need to “coach” them; doing so can make evidence less reliable. We can provide guidance and templates to keep these statements clear and useful.

Keeping Evidence Safe and Legal

Your safety and your children’s safety come first.

General guidance:

Do not access someone else’s private accounts, devices or messages without permission.
Do not publish sensitive evidence on social media.
Keep copies of important documents somewhere the abuser cannot reach.
If you are unsure whether something is legal to record or use, ask us or speak with a solicitor first.
Tell us if the abuser has access to your phone, laptop or email so we can adapt how we communicate with you.

1VAA helps you present evidence in a way that is safe, lawful and effective in court or with other agencies.