Keep a record
Your account.
In your words.
Use the outline below in a place you choose and can access safely. This page does not collect or store a record.
What happened
Describe the event in your own words. Add the date and time, or mark them approximate.
How you know
Separate what you directly observed, what someone told you, and what you interpret it to mean.
Sources
Keep original messages, documents, or other material separately. Note who created each item and when you received it.
What differs or is unknown
Include contrary evidence, competing accounts, and questions you cannot yet answer.
Corrections
Date a correction and link it to the earlier account. Keep the original rather than silently replacing it.
What you need next
Write the help, response, or clarification you want. Identify any real deadline and its source.
Share by choice and purpose.
Before sharing, decide who needs which information and why. You can ask a receiving service how it handles your information and whether it has reporting duties.
Do not put yourself at risk to gather a record. Recording and disclosure rules vary; seek guidance before recording or sharing sensitive material.
Find someone who can help with the next step →