SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray: "It saved my life, it really did.”
“It’s not the monsters under the bed you need to be worried about, it is the ones you invite into your home.” These are the words of a County Durham woman who credits SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray with saving her life during a violent attack by her ex-partner.
The survivor, who will remain anonymous, was offered SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray by Durham Constabulary as part of a wider VAWG project. The compact forensic marking device is used to mark an attacker with a unique synthetic DNA solution. The mark can remain on the body for weeks, and sometimes even months, providing irrefutable evidence that connects the attacker to the original incident.
When the attacker showed up at her home one morning, he pushed his way in and started smashing things before he tried strangling her.
“Not being able to breathe was the scariest thing of my life,” she said. “I thought my daughter would be finding my body.”
Luckily, the victim had her SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray close to hand and was able to deploy it.
How SelectaDNA supports victims and police
The SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray was developed to help protect individuals at risk from violence or harassment. Once deployed:
- The offender is clearly marked with a unique forensic code linked to the registered user.
- The solution is invisible but glows blue under UV light, enabling fast identification.
- The marking is almost impossible to remove in its entirety, remaining detectable for weeks or longer.
- Police can use the forensic trace to place the offender at the scene, strengthening prosecutions.
This incident provides a powerful example of how forensic marking technology can assist both victim protection and criminal justice outcomes.
The impact of using SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray
“He knew once that was sprayed, he was going down for it. Without that... he might have carried on that little bit longer. He might not have stopped when he did. It saved my life, it really did.”
The man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years and two months for actual bodily harm, non-fatal strangulation, criminal damage, and witness intimidation.
The survivor, along with other women who have been given the spray, commented on its compact, pocket-sized design, which makes it easy to keep to-hand and deploy when needed.
“I will use it again, I will not think twice.”
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Crowe, of Durham Constabulary, said: “Domestic abuse cases can be difficult to prosecute, and victims can understandably find the whole process extremely traumatic and frustrating. However, forensic marking can be used as evidence in court to show that the suspect has been in the presence of the victim to strengthen their account. This is an approach that is already making difference to the people living in County Durham and Darlington.”
This follows an evaluation by the College of Policing earlier this year, which recognised SelectaDNA’s Personal Defence Spray as an effective solution in the violence against women and girls (VAWG) toolkit.
With these real-life successes, we hope that the SelectaDNA Personal Defence Spray will continue to be rolled out as a life-saving tool and a deterrent for would-be perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Support for survivors of domestic violence and abuse
SelectaDNA fully supports the efforts of police forces, safeguarding teams, and charities working to protect victims of domestic abuse. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, help is available:
- Police – Call 999 in an emergency, or 101 for non-urgent support.
- The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is available 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247.
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