Victims of domestic abuse are being urged to make use of a new app to help bring perpetrators to justice, as police pioneer a digital evidence-gathering device in the fight against VAWG, as JOHNNY DOBBYN reports
Victims of domestic abuse are being asked to use Kulpa – an online app for recording evidence of violence, harassment, stalking and other aspects of domestic abuse. For any crime, in fact.
Kulpa allows users to capture and securely store digitally legally admissible evidence, such as dashcam footage, photos of injuries, audio of threatening encounters, or medical documents, ensuring that it is stored securely and can be used in legal proceedings.
Chloe Smith, the chair of Croydon’s new Violence Against Women and Girls Community Action Group, has welcomed the app, saying, “Kulpa is a vital tool for people who may feel powerless to report crimes immediately but want to ensure that they have the evidence should they decide to act later.
“Kulpa allows victims to preserve vital evidence in a way that makes sure it’s admissible in court when the time comes.”
The app’s primary function is to help victims capture evidence in real-time.
One of the app’s standout features is its ability to take forensic-grade photographs of injuries that meet the standards required for court. This is important in domestic violence cases, where visible injuries may not always be reported promptly. By allowing victims to capture and store these images digitally, Kulpa removes a significant barrier to prosecuting offenders.
Kulpa was launched in 2022, but has recently found favour with police forces in Hertfordshire and Essex. Simon Franc, the Kulpa CEO, says the Hertfordshire force has “tripled the rate of positive outcomes” through use of the app.
In London, the police do not seem to be aware of Kulpa, never mind promoting its use.
A spokesperson for the Met in Croydon said that use of the app would be raised at a Borough Command Unit VAWG meeting later this week.
Kulpa users can download the app to their phone to upload their evidence. This can be deleted immediately afterwards, leaving no trace on their phone, but all the data will be safely stored for the next time the app is installed.
There is also a cloud-based option (www.kulpacloud.com), where users can upload their evidence. In this case, users should remember to delete their computer’s browsing history after use, so there is no sign of the website being accessed on the computer.
Registering with Kulpa online or via the app is straightforward, requiring an email address or phone number. Once registered, login is a three-stage process: users enter their email address or phone number, receive a verification code to enter and then input a PIN number. If remaining logged in, only the PIN number is required: however, logging out is advisable if under coercive control.
Uploaded information can be deleted at any time, except when after complaint has been submitted to the police, when liaison with the local force would be required.
Smith said: “When it comes to domestic abuse and VAWG cases, proof can be hard to come by if there have been delays in recording evidence – like bruising – and it can boil down to one person’s word against another’s.
“Kulpa will go a long way to helping people not only be believed, but also proving their case, too.”
While Kulpa focuses on enabling victims to collect evidence of crime, another initiative – Project Archway – is specifically tackling the recording of injuries in VAWG cases. The Project Archway device uses technology to make bruises and other injuries more visible, particularly on individuals with darker skin tones. Historically, injuries like bruising have been difficult to detect, especially in their early stages, which has hindered the ability to build strong cases.
Launched by the Met this month, Project Archway could be of benefit to victims who might otherwise feel their experiences are overlooked or dismissed. A pilot study in south London showed that the technology achieved a 45% charge rate, demonstrating its effectiveness in helping investigators build stronger cases.
The police district covering Croydon, Sutton, and Bromley formed part of that trial, and local teams have been trained in the use of the technology. The Met in Croydon says it hopes to increase “positive outcomes” for victims and that the devices have so far been used to deal with a variety of offences, including domestic abuse and child abuse investigations.
Project Archway is said to be part of a wider strategy by the Met, which also includes training thousands of officers in trauma-informed responses to sexual violence and abuse.
Both Kulpa and Project Archway represent a critical part of creating a safer environment for women and girls and ensuring that perpetrators of violence are held accountable for their actions.
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