Taking photos of yourself:
You can ask someone you trust (a friend, advocate, hospital staff, etc.) to take a photo of any visible injuries you have sustained as a result of the violence. The photos should clearly show that the bruises/injuries are on your body and not on someone else's.
For example: Stand up and place your arm with the bruise/injury towards your face and take a picture like this or in a mirror.
If it is essential to keep your photos in a safe place where they will not be found and/or destroyed by your attacker, this is where your digital safe is useful.
Screenshots:
Photos also include screenshots. If you receive a threatening note or message by email, text message or voicemail, make sure you save it. Take a photo or screenshot of the message. If you are concerned that the attacker may be able to access the account and delete the emails, try printing or taking screenshots of the content, including headers.
You can do the same with your call logs by taking a picture of the caller ID. Be sure to include the date and time of the calls. Keep your phone records to show the original call number, date and time.
Social media/Internet harassment:
To keep evidence of social media harassment, take a screenshot of the harassment/abuse on your computer or device. Some sites offer other ways to document activity on the site or on your page. For example, by using Facebook's "Download Your Information" (DYI) feature, you can capture all content and save it for later.
You can describe the abusive incidences in as much detail as you can manage. Please remember to write as many details as possible such as who was involved (incl. names), what day (date) and time it was andwhat happened exactly.