Burning injustice- Reality of Acid Attack Survivors

Burning injustice- Reality of Acid Attack Survivors

(By Neha Soni ) 

Image By:- Darshika Singh

An acid attack, also called acid throwing or vitriol attack is a violent assault including the act of throwing acid onto the body of another to disfigure, torture, or kill.

The consequences of those attacks include blindness, eye burns, permanent scarring on face and body, and social, psychological, and economic difficulties.

We live in a world that expects women to appear in a specific way. This constitutes why so many acid attacks happen. They’re done to harm the face, image, and self-worth, with the motive of making the person undesirable for others. 

Why do acid attacks happen?

• Rejection- When some lovers get rejected, to hurt the other person, they use acid to destroy their faces.

• Hatred- This could happen within business partners, lovers, relatives, etc. when they get a loss on money, failed exams, cheating on other partners in marriage, and jealousy between relatives.

• Bullying- Some students can also use acid attacks to bully other kids.

• Fun- A very bad and disturbing reason is that some people, only to fulfill their bet or for fun, do these acid attacks.

Punishment

Under Section 326 A of the Indian Penal Code, a person found guilty of causing acid burns can get minimum imprisonment of 10 years, extendable up to imprisonment for life, and fine. The fine is to be paid for the victim’s medical expenses. 

Section 326 B attempts to make throwing acid a crime punishable with a prison term of five to seven years and fine if found guilty.

Depending on the case, the person involved in the crime is sent to prison — from two to seven years. Once out of prison, they lead a traditional life after devastating the lives of their victims. The cases of several victims hang in the courts for years and while they spend each day struggling for survival, the offenders can come out of prison on bail.

Effect of acid attack on victims:

Psychological Effects- Victim’s psychological effects include the sympathetic behavior of family, ignorance of children, and taunting behavior of relatives. Females become mentally disturbed and they try to reduce their stress through weeping and shouting on others. While other belongings like fear, threatening, and frustration are very high.

Social Isolation- Victims feel isolated from their society. They are being ignored by their family members and relatives. Most of them face loneliness and isolation. It might be due to the fact they are not allowed by their parents and siblings to move outside with them.

Stories of acid attack survivors:

• Laxmi Agarwal- Laxmi Agarwal, who survived a gruesome acid attack when she was 15, has been an inspiration to many. In 2005, she was attacked for rejecting a 32-year-old man.

 

She is now working to bring strict laws on the sale of acid in India. She is also been supporting thousands of acid attack survivors. Deepika Padukone's movie Chhapaak was based on Laxmi's life.

 

• Pragya Singh- Pragya Singh was attacked with acid only 12 days after her wedding in 2006. When she rejected the marriage proposal of man, he threw acid on her face when she was traveling alone on a train.

She lost sight in one eye and underwent 15 surgeries. Today, she runs a Non-governmental organization named Atijeevan Foundation, which arranges free surgeries/treatments for acid attack and burn survivors.

 

• Anmol Rodriguez- Anmol Rodriguez was only two months old when her father attacked her and her mother with acid. Her mother died due to injuries but Anmol survived; she grew up in an orphanage.

She decided to pursue a career in the fashion industry as she was always been interested in it. Today, she isn’t only a successful model but has also helped many acid attack survivors to find jobs.

 

• Chandrahass Mishra- Acid attacks are often seen as a crime against women, but NCRB data shows that 40% of the victims are men.

A 34-year-old businessman, Chandrahass Mishra, was attacked with acid in 2011 by his landlord's son for preventing him from harassing a lady. He’s also an activist for acid attack survivors and works with several NGOs too.

 

Acid violence is widespread and prevalent in our society that remains often invisible. Women are unsafe and are frequently victims even in their homes and often by their immediate family members. Women are vulnerable to every form of violence. Most of the victims who had faced one type of violence had faced other forms of violence too. 

While, in recent times many NGOs and organizations have stood up to support acid attack survivors, the legal and law-enforcing agencies seem to lag far behind. So although the society takes a breakthrough in accepting the ladies with scars left by the acid attack by making the conversation mainstream and films like Chhapaak bringing the survivors go into a brand new light, the justice system still fails to instill much faith within the survivors.

But we should not put our strength down and look up to brave people who survived an acid attack. One of the victims said, “You burned my face, but not my will to live.” 

Disclaimer:-

The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Light de Literacy and LDL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.