Acid Attacks on Women: Just Another Day in Paradise

If a guy makes a comment about me—or even one of my friends or sisters—I’m happy to put him in his place with a few colorful words that would make Jack Sparrow blush. I’m sure many of you feel the same way. But in some countries, such an act on our part would be met with a bit of acid thrown in our faces.

It’s just like when you throw a glass of wine or water onto a guy and scream, “Pig!”—only, instead of wine, it’s burning chemicals that leave lifelong damage, and instead of being thrown on a man who made a comment about your knees being locked together, it’s tossed carelessly upon a woman who has “dishonored” her family—or who has even simply rebuffed an “admirer” (AKA stalker).

These attacks literally burn the woman’s face off, disfiguring facial tissue and even exposing or dissolving bones. Blindness and permanent scarring often result as well.

While acid attacks—also known as acid throwing and vitriolage—are conducted upon males, 80% of cases happen to females—and almost half of these are minors. Countries where they commonly occur are India, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and other Asian nations. It has even occurred in the United States and Greece. Right now, acid throwing is particularly on the rise in Pakistan.

According to the AGHS Legal Cell, in just a three-month period this year, there were more than 220 accounts of vitriolage against women. In 40 of these attacks, the victims died.

Experts say that acid is readily available in Pakistan.

And the thing is, these are only accounts reported from hospitals—so the number is likely much higher, given that many women may die before receiving treatment—or not seek it at all.

And given that these attacks are typically made on women for dishonoring their families—which, to us, of course, is a joke; we sure wouldn’t give a damn about showing some skin, having sex before marriage, snubbing a suitor, being seen in public with a man who’s not related to us, or a host of other actions that these families would consider dishonorable—most of them don’t even seek legal counsel following the attack.

And why should they? With so many people telling you that it’s your own fault, that you “asked for it” or “had it coming,” and even the government denying the very existence of the violence, why would you believe anything other than that you deserve it and should accept its consequences? And besides, they’ve already disintegrated your entire face; what happens when you testify against them (if it ever even got that far)—outright murder?

There are punishments technically in place for offenders—Bangladesh laws control the sales of acid, and enforce the death penalty for throwing it. In Pakistan, the punishment even “fits the crime,” so to speak, a s the thrower may have acid dropped into his eyes—but this law is not binding and is very rarely, if ever, enforced.