If I can’t have her, no one else can !
Yes, that’s the mentality in most of the acid attack cases. Sadly, the number of acid attacks on women has increased in Asia in recent years. The most types of attacks are happening are out of rejection in love. The most common type of acid used in acid attack on women is hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and nitric acid, easily available in the general and chemist shop.
Impact Of Acid Attack On Victims
The most heinous crime of mankind leads to abnormalities in function of various body parts of the victim. In some cases, the victim dies on the spot and in some, after treatment, the major blow is on your various organs. Vision affects, you can’t hear properly, breathlessness and due to which sleep disturbances occurs. To regain the original face, victim has to undergo lots of pain from the surgery that is performed on the face.
It is very sad and devastating to see such horrific incidents taking place not only in Asia but in various part of the world. How can one human being do this to another human being? Such cruelties even animals cannot commit. Women are judged by her appearance and not by her work. If she is beautiful and attractive than every sick person thinks, she is their own property.
Such mentalities are making our society more unstable and always challenging as for women’s safety is concerned. Earlier it was only happening in the rural parts of the country, but now women from all backgrounds and various socio-economic classes are becoming acid attack victims.
Impact Of Acid Attack
The growing acid attacks on women shows the inefficiency of lawmakers and law protectors. Here the victim is always blamed. Blamed as if she has done some big crime. Recently a woman in India were acid attacked, why? Because against her religion principle, she has opened a beauty parlour for living. The attacker not only destroys her appearance and standing in the society, but he attacks her mental stability too.
The most important thing happens here is post attack, we as a society fail to understand the meaning of disfigurement. From every stratum the victim gets rejection and refusal which is enough to win the attacker’s
mission.
Here, it is our duty as a society to accept the victim normally and wholeheartedly so that her life can again get back to the track. The employers should not give jobs only by appearance but there should be law to employ such survivors.
The financial help by the government should reach on time .There has to be free treatment, post attack. Not only the victim but the family members also suffer physical, mental, emotional stress and trauma. Over the recent years rates in countries like Bangladesh, the rate of acid attacks came down i.e., from 30%to 20%. This has happened because of the severe laws that were introduced including death penalty .
Acid attack is a horrendous crime, the punishment should be made public like in gulf countries. The attackers should be punished by a similar acid attack publicly. It sounds cruel but I think it is the only sensible solution.
Compensation To Acid Attack Victims
In 2013 , the supreme court of India has revised the compensation amount to Rs 3 lakhs to all the acid survivors. The fact is, the amount of compensation is not given when needed. There are victims like Chanchal and her sister from Bihar, India who received the amount after much hue and cry. The point is why so much delay happens in a crime like this. What kind of enquiry takes 2 and a half year to reach benefit to the beneficiary? It is difficult to understand, why they take time for a timely help. ? Of course, there are volunteers, social workers who intervene and try to do the best of their capabilities to help the victim.
Important action requires
- Police complaint and action taken by police
- Medical help to the victim. It is essential for the victim to admit in the right hospital/clinic equipped with require medication
- Last but not the least, timely monetary help by the government and other charitable institutions.
A Poetic Tribute to Resilience
One beautiful girl
Precious like ocean pearl
Her age was fifteen
She wanted to become singing queen
Positive and ready to work hard
She did not know, destiny has another plan
There was a guy with a devil eye
Of her double the age, carrying hidden rage
He wanted to marry the pearl
She did not like him and reject the proposal
He could not handle the rejection
The Satan in him was ready for destruction
Then comes the epitome of pains
An acid attack burning all the veins
The life become curse and traumatic
An ugly face in the society was subject of panic
The pearl in her never give up
She stood up and fought against the odd
Laxmi, is now subject to applaud
One beautiful girl
Precious like ocean pearl
The poem is about one of the survivors, Laxmi who never gives up and fought against all odds. When Laxmi refused to marry the person, double of her age, he then acid attacked her in an open market area.
Bollywood Movie- Chhapaak
Indian Film Industry making a film called Chhapaak on Laxmi’s life ,Directed by Meghna Gulzar. Laxmi is happy that a film is being made on her life. She is happy the visual entertainment medium can spread more awareness on such grave issue. From the Fox Star Studios, Chhapaak is slated for release on 10th
January 2020, across PAN India. The big question is this movie will come and go, but how are we going to eradicate this crime? The problem is the weapon of the crime is easily available in the market and have free access to all.
Following institutions are working for the benefit of Acid Attack Survivor and women empowerment
- Meer Foundation is an Indian non-governmental organization based in Mumbai. The foundation works to rehabilitate burn and acid attack survivors and empower women in India.
- Chhanv Foundation is a Non-Profit Organisation in India working for the rehabilitation of acid attack survivors. Chhanv Foundation raised the unheard voices of acid attack survivors through its campaign Stop Acid Attacks in 2013.
