New app helping to gather evidence in abuse cases

77% of these recorded cases currently fail due to a lack of evidence.

But the Injury Capture app allows victims to take scaled forensic images of injuries, which can be sent to the police when the victim is ready.

The free app was launched last year by the UKAS-accredited tech company Anatomap. It aims to empower victims of assault, sexual violence, and domestic abuse, enabling them to receive support and justice.

Often, people experiencing abuse may not want to immediately go to the police, but Injury Capture means evidence can be gathered and securely stored until the victim is ready to come forward.

‘It completely changes the game and there has been nothing like this before,’ said Anatomap co-director of communications Zoe Fitch.

‘Victims can create a single package of evidence that is immediately usable by police.’

Voice notes, medical files, messages, videos and more can all be added by the victims themselves, as well as by friends, relatives, medical professionals, and police officers.

‘Speaking to people about the app’s capabilities, they are so overwhelmed by how powerful it is for victims,’ Ms Fitch said.

‘It is a game changer for literally millions of people. It can also be used by medical professionals who are increasingly being trained in recognising the signs of physical abuse.’

To take a scaled photograph, the injury just needs to be lined up against a standardised card, such as credit card or driving licence.

‘It is accurate to the millimetre, which is what makes it forensic,’ Ms Fitch said.

She said the app had a two-step verification process, and no one could access the data apart from the person who uploaded it.

‘The whole app was coded from scratch to ensure it was developed to the highest security standard.

‘No-one on our side can see the uploaded data but what we can tell from our data stores increasing is that people are recording evidence on it.’

Some people may not be comfortable having the app on their phone, Ms Fitch added, but evidence is saved when the app is deleted and re-downloaded. Victims can also invite witnesses to add to the case.

‘People are becoming more alive to the issue of domestic violence and sexual violence,’ she said.

‘We would encourage people to try the app out because you never know who is a silent victim – we would encourage as many people as possible to have it ready.’

Geolocations are used so evidence can be sent to the police, and nearby support services are displayed for victims.

‘Justice means different things for different people – whether that’s accessing emotional support so they can start their road to recovery, or taking civil action for protection, or taking legal action,’ Ms Fitch said.

‘When faced with irrefutable evidence, perpetrators tend to take early guilty pleas, saving police and court time and lessening the emotional trauma of re-living the experience for victims.’

The app collects metadata including location, date, and time stamps to ensure the data is verifiable and means that, in most cases, the police will not need to download the victim’s entire phone.

There have already been more than 100 downloads of Injury Capture in Guernsey. It has been successfully used in Jersey cases, and is being used globally.

Ms Fitch hoped it would be further adopted locally and also act as a deterrent against such crimes.

‘There has be one early conversation with one deputy but we do hope deputies will see the value of it and support us in promoting it,’ she said.