By Aisha K. Gill*
In London at the end of January, a 31-year-old woman and her daughters suffered horrifying injuries after being assaulted with an alkaline corrosive substance. Sadly, corrosive substance attacks such as this are not isolated incidents. Over the last 15 years, they have been on the rise across the world, including in the UK.
These attacks involve splashing a corrosive substance, frequently sulphuric or nitric acid, onto the victim’s face or body. Corrosive substances melt the skin tissue, often exposing or dissolving the bones underneath. They can lead to permanent disfigurement – scarring and/or a narrowing of the nostrils, eyelids and ears – and permanent damage to sight and hearing.
Attackers who target the face in particular aim to maim and disfigure their victim, but not necessarily to kill. This can cause devastating social and psychological difficulties for victims, including ongoing health problems, social isolation, a loss of social and economic status, and poverty and destitution.