Acid throwing

Acid throwing, also called an acid attack, a vitriol attack or vitriolage, is a form of violent assault defined as the act of throwing acid or a similarly corrosive substance onto the body of another "with the intention to disfigure, maim, torture, or kill". Perpetrators of these attacks throw acid at their victims, usually at their faces, burning them, and damaging skin tissue, often exposing and sometimes dissolving the bones. 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. The long term consequences of these attacks may include blindness, as well as permanent scarring of the face and body, along with far-reaching social, psychological, and economic difficulties.

Today, acid attacks are reported in many parts of the world. Since the 1990s, Bangladesh has been reporting the highest number of attacks and highest incidence rates for women, with 3,512 Bangladeshi people acid attacked between 1999 and 2013. Although acid attacks occur all over the world, including in Europe, this type of violence is mainly concentrated in South Asia.

In parts of South Asia, acid attacks often occur as revenge against a woman who rejects a proposal of marriage or a sexual advance. Such attacks are common in societies where there is a high level of gender inequality and women occupy a subordinate position in relation to men.

Another cause of acid attacks are conflicts related to dowry.

Conflicts regarding inheritance and other property issues are a cause of acid attacks. People are often assaulted due to land disputes.

Acid attacks related to conflicts between criminal gangs occur in many places, ranging from the United Kingdom to Indonesia. The intention of the attacker is often to humiliate rather than to kill the victim. In the UK such attacks are believed to be underreported, and as a result many of them do not show up in official statistics.

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