One issue that has long prevented domestic abuse victims from getting justice is that many instances of abuse take place behind closed doors, often with nobody but the victim and their abuser present to recount events.
While this is well-known, the innovative techniques being used by West Yorkshire Police to tackle this very fact are not.
SmartWater have developed a forensic liquid which is visible when an ultraviolet light is shone upon it. The liquid stays on skin and clothing for weeks, and each batch of water has a unique code which SmartWater can cross-check with the code of the water that was sprayed, thus linking the perpetrator to a specific location.
The first arrest as a result of the technology came in February. The BBC recently spoke to another victim of domestic abuse whose SmartWater led to their perpetrator being arrested.
“”It releases water which has a unique code which the police can track. It helps my anxiety,” said Sarah (not her real name). “Before I had this, I wasn’t leaving the house.”
Sarah’s abuser stopped by “for a chat” before moving in and forcing her into a relationship which was infested with coercive and controlling behaviour. There was then an episode involving a knife, which led to a restraining order and arrest, and subsequently jail time.
When her abuser was released, SmartWater was one of a number of measures West Yorkshire police put in place to protect her. He hasn’t approached her since being released. Sarah said:
“I just know that I can spray this at him before he has a chance to even think about running off.
So it’s a big reassurance to know that even if they don’t catch him there and then, they can catch him a few months down the line.”
Other forces are increasingly under pressure to adopt the technology, which costs £150 per month per person to roll out. The cost of the measure should be seen as insignificant given the impact it could have, though quite how quickly other forces take note remains to be seen.
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