Acid attack

An acid attack,^[1] also called acid throwing, vitriol attack, or vitriolage, is a form of violent assault^[2][3][4] involving the act of throwing acid or a similarly corrosive substance onto the body of another "with the intention to disfigure, maim, torture, or kill".^[5] Perpetrators of these attacks throw corrosive liquids at their victims, usually at their faces, burning them, and damaging skin tissue, often exposing and sometimes dissolving the bones. Acid attacks can lead to permanent, partial, or complete blindness.^[6]

The most common types of acid used in these attacks are sulfuric and nitric acid. Hydrochloric acid is sometimes used but is much less damaging.^[7] Aqueous solutions of strongly alkaline materials, such as caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) or ammonia, are used as well, particularly in areas where strong acids are controlled substances.^[8][9][10]

The long-term consequences of these attacks may include blindness, as well as eye burns, with severe permanent scarring of the face and body,^[11][12][13] along with far-reaching social, psychological, and economic difficulties.^[5]

Today, acid attacks are reported in many parts of the world, though more commonly in developing countries. Between 1999 and 2013, a total of 3,512 Bangladeshi people were attacked with acid,^[14][15][16] with the rate of cases declining by 15–20% every year since 2002 based on strict legislation against perpetrators and regulation of acid sales.^[17][18] In India, acid attacks are at an all-time high and increasing every year, with 250–300 reported incidents every year, while the "actual number could exceed 1,000, according to Acid Survivors' Trust International".^[19][20]

Although acid attacks occur all over the world, this type of violence is most common in South Asia.^[21] Statistics from Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) suggest that 80% of victims worldwide are women.^[22]