If you look at the statistics of reported domestic abuse-related crimes versus how many are then referred to the CPS versus the successful prosecutions, you can see why survivors of domestic abuse can be reluctant or reticent to report crimes. Often cases hinge on a 'he said/she said' scenario with limited independent evidence and questionable forensics, particularly if the parties are living together or have lived together etc.

The pioneering forensic technology developed in Telford and deployed in Shropshire seems like an innovative way to combat some of those issues and forensically link a party to an incident. The SmartWater is a forensic liquid that stays on the skin for up to six weeks and on clothing for longer. The SmartWater is made up of a combination of unique and rare elements that would not be found naturally anywhere else and are unique to every can. This would mean that a party would be unable to claim that they weren't present at the time the liquid was deployed. 

I certainly will be interested to see how the use of SmartWater develops, whether it will be adopted by West Midlands Police and whether it will be more widely available for survivors of domestic abuse and those who have non-molestation orders in place.