I have a pile of evidence and no idea where to start

So let's make it small. You don't organize a pile by staring at the whole pile. You organize it one incident at a time.

A simple structure that works

For each thing that happened, capture five things:

• When — the date, and the time if you have it.
• What — what happened, in a sentence or two, in your own words.
• Who — who was involved, and who else saw or heard it.
• Proof — what evidence exists for this one (the screenshot, the voicemail, the photo, the witness).
• Where it's stored — where that proof actually lives, so you can find it again.

That's it. One row, one incident. Do one. Then, when you have it in you, do another. A timeline built one entry at a time becomes the thing that finally lets someone else see the whole shape.

A few principles

• Keep your record separate from the raw evidence. Your timeline and notes are one thing; the actual screenshots and files are another. Don't write on top of the originals.
• Keep a backup. Whatever system you use, make sure it isn't only in one place that could be lost.
• Don't wait until you have everything. A partial, growing record is worth infinitely more than a perfect one you never start.

You don't have to build it alone

This is exactly the work Evidence Companion is built to make easier — the companion walks you through capturing incidents this way and keeps it all in one organized, private place, so you're not building the structure from scratch by yourself. But the method above works on paper or in a notes app too. The method matters more than the tool. (See how it works.)

And if you're in immediate danger, that comes first — call 911 or see crisis resources.

Before you go

You don't have to have it together to begin. You don't even have to do it in order. One incident, five facts, where it's stored — the pile becomes a record one entry at a time. Not sure something belongs? Here's what counts as evidence.