I'm not very technical and need something compact and unobtrusive enough to carry in public without attracting attention. A man who has physically assaulted me before remains aggressive, and I'm concerned he may try again. I want to be able to start recording quickly and capture video with clear enough audio and image quality to potentially support a police report or legal proceedings. I already have legal advice and am mainly looking for practical device suggestions based on real-world use, such as discreet glasses, a pen-style camera, or another small recorder.
3 Answers
A phone may be more practical and reliable than novelty glasses or pen cameras. Set up a lock-screen shortcut or camera button so it can be started quickly, keep it charged, and practice using it without looking at the screen. Discreet camera products often have poor microphones, limited battery life, questionable video quality, and can fail at the exact moment you need them.
For audio alone, the built-in voice recorder on a phone is usually the simplest option, and there are similar apps for Android. However, since you need video to document a physical assault, you’ll want to test a phone or dedicated camera in advance for startup speed, stabilization, low-light performance, battery life, and how clearly it captures nearby speech. Make sure any recording method complies with the laws where you are and keep the original files unchanged if they may be used as evidence.
Since the recording may become evidence, speak with your attorney about the specific device and recording workflow before relying on it. Preserve the original video, avoid editing the file, note the date and time, and make a backup in a secure location. Also prioritize getting away and contacting emergency services rather than trying to keep filming during an assault.
The audio suggestion is useful, but I specifically need video as well so that any physical assault is documented.