Smartphone Apps that Help You Document Abuse

This piece was originally published in 2016. It was updated in 2026. 

Key Takeaways:

• Documentation can strengthen a survivor's case if they choose to pursue legal action later.
• A pattern of abuse is often more powerful than documenting a single incident.
• Some apps safely hide evidence, record abuse or help survivors assess their level of danger.

Domestic violence often happens behind closed doors. No witnesses. No record of events. 

Survivors have valid reasons for being hesitant to file a police report. There’s retribution from the abuser, for one. There’s the fear that they won’t be believed, or that the abuser will convince police they’re the real aggressor.

But today's smartphones can quietly become somewhat of a lifesaver. They’re a secure place to preserve photos, threatening messages, voice recordings, medical records and detailed timelines that may later prove invaluable in court—or simply help survivors trust their own memories after months or years of gaslighting.

Documenting abuse can be invaluable later on if the survivor ends up pressing charges. Evidence can disprove the lies an abuser may try to tell, denying abusive events or turning the blame on the survivor. 

Below, you'll find apps that can help survivors safely record incidents, organize evidence, and create a clear timeline of abuse.

An Evidence Log Accessible Anywhere

App: VictimsVoice

Platform: Any device (not a phone app, but a progressive web application)
How It Works: VictimsVoice is a progressive web application, which is a web-based app that recognizes your device. Users can access it via web browser rather than downloading anything to a device. This means you don’t need to have your device to document abuse and there is no app icon on your phone an abuser may spot. The app walks survivors through documenting incidents of physical and sexual violence, stalking, verbal abuse and more. 

Automatic Video Recording With a Safe Word

App: EviSafe

Platform: Android devices only
How It Works: EviSafe automatically starts recording when it recognizes domestic violence incidents are occurring. It can also be set up to start recording using a survivor’s chosen safe word. One barrier to recording abuse is having to unlock one’s phone, something the abuser can notice and intercept. The app can also trigger an automatic one-way or two-way audio or video call to trusted contacts. 

A Log Disguised as a Cookbook App

App: Olive Notes

Platform: iPhones and iPads
How It Works: This app is just a few months old, but it seems promising. Disguised as a cookbook on your phone, it provides a safe spot to store important evidence, record incidents, keep a log of abuse, record incidents as they occur and find links to resources and support. In case of emergency, users can also send an alert to trusted contacts that includes their location.  

Instant Recording Plus 911 Access

App: iWitness Personal Safety Video

Platform: iPhones
How It Works: Simply open the app and it starts recording a video, uploading it securely to a secure cloud server. Prompts on the screen allow you to call 911, sound an alarm, enable the flashlight or alert secure contacts you’ve pre-selected. One downside is that it costs $2.99 a month. Take caution as recording abuse as it happens isn't always safe. Every survivor's situation is different, and only they can assess whether it's safe to document an incident in the moment.

To Record Just Sounds 

App: Rev Voice Recorder and Memos

Platform: iPhone and iPad
How It Works: A video recording during abuse is sort of hard to conceal from the aggressor, so this app offers an alternate solution: record just the sounds in the room, even with other apps open or with the phone in sleep mode. Capture evidence of an abuser’s threats, intimidation or control, or the sounds of physical abuse occurring—as scary as that concept is—which can be an instrumental piece of evidence in court. The app syncs to your Dropbox to back-up your recordings, in case the abuser deletes the recording or damages your phone.

To Record a Phone Call

App: TapeaCall Pro

Platform: iPhone
How It Works: Because threats and protection order violations often take place over the phone, it’s worthwhile to record phone conversations with an abuser. TapeACall allows you to record calls without an indication to the third party they’re being recorded. The app makes it easy to download recordings to your computer as soon as you end a call. Labeling allows you to categorize recordings for easy access later. (Read this article to find out more about what’s legal and admissible in court regarding phone calls.) Allows you to record both incoming and outgoing calls. However, the Pro version is $29.99 a year. 

To Determine Your Level of Danger

App: myPlan

Platform: Apple, Android and computer browsers
How It Works: This one is a little bit different than a documenting app, but valuable in another way. The myPlan app asks users a series of questions about their current situation and advises on what level of danger that person is in. Users then receive personalized safety strategies that can help them plan for an escape more safely. Users have a unique pin to log in with as well as a “dummy pin” they can use if forced to log in by the abuser, which then hides the content of the app. 

For more mobile apps, including those that can help you escape abuse, visit our Mobile Apps for Victims and Survivors page. 

Why Showing a Pattern Is Important

Survivors should think of recording evidence of abuse as telling a story rather than proving a single incident. Some survivors minimize the abuse their partner is inflicting as “not serious enough” to warrant charges or prove the partner is an unsafe parent. However, showing a pattern of relentless control, threats of violence, damaging items in the home, stalking and leaving hostile voicemails can paint a complete picture of abuse. This helps to provide context for professionals who may help the survivor later on—law enforcement, advocates, attorneys or the court. 

You Don’t Have to Face This Alone

If you need help documenting abuse or just want to talk to someone about what you or someone you care for is experiencing, use our Get Help tool or chat with Hope Chat in the bottom corner of your screen to connect with a local advocate and resources.