My dad showed up at my house without telling me, we got into an argument over a few things, and then he hit me — full-force punches, hit my back about 20 times. It was all on video, and the area where I was hit has obvious red marks.
I was so scared that I left the house with my partner and went to stay at a hotel. I bought my dad a plane ticket to get him to leave ASAP. He agreed to leave on Friday, but then dragged it out until Sunday.
I want to call the police to have him removed, but I don't want him to go to jail. What should I do?
Before you record anything, you need to be clear about what you want to achieve. If your goal is just to have the police take him away without giving him a criminal record, then once you hand over the footage, the outcome is no longer fully in your hands. When police see clear injuries and video evidence, in many places the "settle it privately" route isn't available. So back up whatever you've recorded first, but before you call the police, it's best to ask your local police department about how they typically handle domestic violence cases—whether detention is mandatory or whether they can simply file a report.