Reports from agencies
WHAT TO INCLUDE
These are the kind of reports you can include:
Any formal report from your hospital, nurse, doctor, therapist or masseuse to attest to your mental or physical state. They can also be witnesses to an incident e.g. your partner shouting at you in the hospital or accompanying you to a checkup.
Any bill / conviction / incidence report or warning by police to your abuser
Any criminal case against your abuser or one that your abuser has lodged against you
Letter from any organisation that supports survivors of domestic violence i.e. shelter, law firm or even support helpline
Letter from any organisation that supports people in hardship i.e. social services
Any other official report or evidence that can provide supporting evidence of the abuse you faced or anyone else has faced from your abuser.
DETAILED
Any report from an impartial organisation that confirms any part of your story will be beneficial. These reports give the court/police and demonstrate to anyone else that (1) you’re telling the truth (2) you have reached out for help.
In some cases, getting these reports, proof-of-interaction or statement will be fairly straightforward. You go to them and ask them for a record of the incident/conversation and it should be provided to you. In other cases, they may be hesitant or you will be required to pay money for it. This should not cost too much, if they ask you for money you can ask them to consider waiving the fee and explain that you are in financial hardship. Domestic Violence Agencies can often get evidence for free as their purpose is to help you collect evidence as well as keep you safe.
In other cases, you will ask for proof but the organisation may not know how to provide it. For instance, the school may have noticed that your child has been distracted or scared or confided in a teacher what is happening at home. The teacher may not know how to provide proof to you. In cases like this, all you need is a school letterhead paper with a statement from the teacher about what she/he knows. Make sure it is signed, dated, and includes a copy of their ID. If they are reluctant to provide ID, make sure you include their full name so if an authority wanted to follow it up, they can.
Similarly, even if you applied for a caution against your husband in the Police and it was not approved - you should include this evidence as it will show that you reached out to protect yourself and knew that he was capable of harming you.
If you don’t have this or cannot acquire this - don’t worry too much. You can compensate for the lack of it by strengthening other sections.
So, grab a paper and pen.
Think about all the possible organisations and people you have been in touch with or who may know about your situation. 2. Write them down in a list.
Find the right person to contact.
Think clearly about the best way to approach them. Tell them to treat this as confidential if you are still with your abusive partner.
It may be best to have a face-to-face conversation depending on your relationship with them. If you are asking face-to-face, you can hand them a letter or a list of points to cover in their statement so they do not forget what you have asked and the information that they need to include. Same applies for asking for probation or parole records from the police of your abuser.
If you are asking an organisation, such as a domestic violence refuge, you may have to write a letter requesting the statement.
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