ACID ATTACK - AN ABHORRENT CRIME

ACID ATTACK – AN ABHORRENT CRIME

Acid attack or Vitriolage is the most heinous crime known to mankind. The victim usually does not die because of the criminal act but is cursed to live a life of misery, shame and agony. The villainous act is enacted to disfigure, mime, torture and kill the victim socially, psychologically and economically bit by bit every day. The perpetrator usually does not want to kill the victim, but wants to do something worse than murder – make the victim suffer forever.

Vitriolage as a phenomenon is firmly rooted in the crucible of ages bygone. Historically its purpose was vitriol, i.e., hatred, then and now too it is no different. Its scope has nevertheless widened with the passage of time. Innovation is never in short supply when it comes to cruelty. Corrosive acid has now become the weapon of choice for a wide range of individuals determined to inflict life-long suffering on their victims. Acid attacks have been documented in different parts of the world, including Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, UK, USA, and Vietnam. However, incidences in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Cambodia and Uganda are much higher and are on the rise.

Acid attacks, like other forms of violence against women, are not random or natural phenomena. They are social phenomena deeply embedded in a gender order that has historically privileged patriarchal control over women and justified the use of violence to “keep women in their places.” Acid attacks in India are a crime of passion. Acid attacks in India have ravaged the lives of thousands of young women whose only fault was that they

ú   Repudiated marriage proposals

ú   Rejected sexual advances from men they didn’t fancy

ú   Were caught in the crossfire of domestic disputes

ú   Conflicts over land and property

ú   Gang violence and rivalry

ú   Socially, politically and religiously motivated

When we try to analyze why acid attacks are so common in our sub-continent three factors stand out prominently:

1.     Gender discrimination - Women allegedly or actually transgress hegemonic gender norms and roles that discriminate against women and keep them in subordinated positions.

2.     Easy availability of Acids - Acid is easily and cheaply available, and no licenses or customer identification is required

3.     Feeble laws - The laxity of certain sections of the law and the delay in delivery of justice allow the offenders to walk away with minimal punishment

The Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI), a London-based charity, tentatively estimates that some 1,000 acid attacks occur every year in India. However, in the absence of official statistics, campaigners put the true figure even higher: at roughly 400 every month. Governments do not keep data of acid attack. Bangladesh – Acid Survivor Foundation (ASF) recorded 3000 attacks between 1999 and 2013. In India news paper reported 153 attacks between Jan 2002 to October 2010 and only God knows how many go unreported. In Cambodia the Cambodian Acid Survivor Charity reported 271 attacks between 1985 and 2010. When we try to understand why is it that there is so little genuine data we are faced by a bunch of causes: lack of funding for research, hard to gain access to interview the victims, victims are ashamed and may not want to see or talk to anyone other than their doctors or social workers, their refusal to talk about their traumatic experiences to strangers or they are too disabled to participate in any survey.

The problems encountered by these unfortunate victims are medical, psychological and social. Medical problems include horrific disfigurement of facial features – scalp, skull, eyelids, nose, ears, lips, mouth, face and neck and often blindness. Psychologically they suffer from anxiety, depression, loss of self esteem, suicidal tendencies, and distress due to concern for their appearance and increased self consciousness. Socially  they  depend on others for day to day work, are not able to find suitable work, due to impaired vision, physical handicap, lack of social acceptance and the routinely have difficulties with social interactions. There is a negative economic impact on families, frequent divorce or abandonment by their spouse and most of the women are shunned and ostracized by the society.

To combat acid violence, we the people and our governments should address the root cause – inequality and discrimination against women. Every other step is secondary if the individuality and dignity of a woman is not respected. We can then go on and enact laws to

ú  Limit the availability of acid by effectively regulating  the production, distribution, use, sale, handling,  storage, labeling, transfer, and disposal of acid by manufacturers, distributors, and other business and individual users of acid in order to deter the unauthorized use of acid

ú  Unlicensed, over-the-counter sale of acids should be banned immediately and the origin of the chemical should be traced and the vendors prosecuted. Buyer of acids must provide a photo identity card to any retailer when they make a purchase. The retailers must register the name and address of the buyer.

ú  Regulate the safe-handling, appropriately punish perpetrators by enacting and implementing laws that specifically tackle this problem effectively and swiftly.

ú  Support women’s empowerment to enhance their self-confidence and ability to sustain independent livelihoods.

ú  Provide redress to victims, including compensation for healthcare costs.

Often these victims need multiple stages of painstaking reconstructive surgeries and a prolonged professional, personal and social rehabilitation program. For all this they need continuous financial support. Insufficient infrastructural support at most of the remote and non metropolitan cities, does not allow the victims of acid attack to get the quality expertise, which otherwise would reduce not only the complexities of deformities but also help save some of the vital functions like vision, etc. as well as improve the quality of life. This gender based violence against women is so horrific that it is an insult to our nation and we Indians need to take it up very seriously.