Collect the Evidence ASAP

Regardless of where you are on your journey to safety, whether you are starting from the beginning and documenting the abuse, or the abuse has been well established and you have decided to start today, it is important that going forward you attempt to document the behavior as close to it occurring as possible. Documenting and preserving the evidence as soon as possible helps the court or law enforcement not get caught up in or mixed up with dates and it can help build your credibility as a witness. It is recommended that the documentation is captured the same day and time, though it is not a requirement. Preserving evidence early on, however, will help ensure that the evidence is not ultimately deleted or lost.