An acid attack involves the premeditated throwing of acid on a victim, usually on her face.

It
is a gender-based heinous crime against women. In addition to causing psychological
trauma, acid attacks result in severe pain, permanent disfigurement, subsequent infections,
often blindness in one or both eyes.  According to the National Commission of India, an acid
attack is "any act of throwing acid or using acid in any form on the victim with the intention
of or with the knowledge that such person is likely to cause to the other person permanent
or partial damage or deformity or disfiguration to any part of the body of such person".

Acid attack on women is increasing day by day, basically on the girls in the age of 11-30
years. The most common types of acid utilized in these assaults include sulphuric, nitric, and
hydrochloric acid. . Several community awareness programs are being conducted by local
authorities and administrative departments, to make people aware of this heinous crime.
This paper wants to highlight the causes and impact of the acid attack on innocent women
and the problems or hindrances suffered by the victims.

Introduction:
Women are an important part of our society. Every woman has her own job or duty in this
modern society in which men are unfortunately still the 'strongest gender', we can't forget
that a woman´s life is a lot more complicated than a man's life. A woman has to take care of
her own personal life and if she is a mother, she has to take care also of her children´s lives
too. Worse still, if she is married, additional stress can be on her shoulders. Yet they will still
perform very well in the work environment in some cases better than their male
counterparts.

"Violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between

men and women, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by
men and to the prevention of the full advancement of women. Gender-based violence is
endemic worldwide, cutting across age, marital status, religion, class, race, and thus poses
human rights violations and huge health problems. In this paper, the focus will be given only
to acid attacks especially in India.

Definition And Meaning Of Acid Attack:

As per the provision of the "Prevention of Offences (by Acids) Act 2008,(National
Commission for Woman – Draft Bill)" constitute the definition of Acid Attacks and Acid.

According to Section 3 of said Act:

"Acid" shall mean and includes any substance which has the character of acidic or corrosive
or burning nature that is capable of causing bodily injuries leading to scars or disfigurement
or temporary or permanent disability.

 "Acid attack" means any act of throwing acid or using acid in any form on the victim with
the intent of or with the knowledge that such person is likely to cause to the other person
Permanent or partial damage or deformity or disfiguration to any part of the body of such
person.

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 by virtue of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013 under the
Explanation 1 of Section 326B has defined acid to include:
"any substance which has the acidic or corrosive character or burning nature, capable of
causing bodily injury leading to scars or disfigurement or temporary or permanent
disability".

National Commission of India, July 2009, Acid attack can be perceived as "any act of
throwing acid or using acid in any form on the victim with the intention of or with the
knowledge that such person is likely to cause to the other person permanent or partial
damage or deformity or disfiguration to any part of the body of such person.

Objectives Of The Study:

The main objective of this paper is to study in detail the issues and challenges faced
by acid attack victims in India

1. To understand the meaning of acid attack and law enforcement

2. To examine the issues and challenges faced by the victims of acid attack
3. To highlight the policies taken by the government to overcome the challenges

Research Methodology:
The descriptive research methodology has been used to collect the data, the data collected
mostly from secondary sources from various journals, books, articles, the government
published annuals reports, website of different government agencies.

Literature Review:
Acid attack is a form of gender-based violence aimed at silencing and controlling women.
The use of acid as a weapon began to rise in many developing nations, specifically in South
Asia. The first recorded acid attack occurred in India in 1982. In many countries, acid attacks
constitute a hidden form of violence against women and children that often go unreported
and the true number of horrific attacks taking place does not come to light.

'Forensic Medicine and Toxicology:

Theory, Oral & Practical' (2006) by Rabindranath Karmakar, the author mentioned the
permanent disfigurement of the head and face and permanent loss of eyesight. The book
highlights the motive behind this heinous crime. The author also mentions the treatment of
first aid that should be provided to the victim immediately after the attack.

Acid Attacks on Women:

An Appraisal of the Indian Legal Response' (2011) by Nehaluddin Ahmad, author in the
article highlights the evil practice of acid attack. . The author wants to highlight the physical
as well as psychological consequences of such attack, the author also covers the
insufficiency of the law to give justice to the victims and the possible steps that can be taken
to strengthen the law to deal with such attacks.

A Fate Worse than Death:

A Critical Exploration of Acid Attack Violence in India' (2015) by Aishwarya Deb and Prithwish
Roy Chowdhury, the author in the article considers 'social stigmatization' and 'leniency of
laws in punishing perpetrators' as a major reason why many such violent incidents go
unreported.

Causes of Acid Attack

Male-domineering Society
Our society is a male-domineering society where men have always been told to domineer
and women have been told to be subjugated. Women have always been considered to be
devoid of personality. In ancient times, women were considered to be the property of the
father, later she became the property of the husband who received her as a gift from the
father, and when she became a widow it was the son who protected and controlled her.

In such a society where women have always been controlled and regulated by men, men are
not used to hearing 'no' for a throw. The disavowal by a woman in some of the cases
aforementioned has a great ineffaceable and adverse bearing on the minds of the men who
have always been told to dominate in this male-dominated society and forces them to react
in this most harrowing manner and results in acid attack cases.

Inexpensive and Effortless Obtainability of Acids

One of the primary causes of acid attack cases is the easy availability of acids in the market.
People can easily procure it without much effort on their part from pharmacies, open-air
markets, goldsmith shops, automobile repair shops, etc. Many people also use it as a
common cleaning agent in their homes. Thus, it is easily obtainable. Apart from this, it is
inexpensive also within the reach of common men.

Domestic Violence
Violence within the home is one of the leading causes that has attributed to the throwing of
acid by family members on vulnerable and browbeaten women. In this male-domineering
society, denial by women on anything or her vocal nature has been taken as defiance and
rebelliousness by the husband or his family members and has resulted in such tormenting
and traumatic incidents. It could be related to bringing of dowry, inability to bear a child,
refusal to obey, refusal to have sex, suspicion, property disputes, family disagreements, etc.
 
Peer Jealousy
Jealousy is another pivotal factor that has resulted in such awful incidents. In this
competitive world, everyone wants to excel in another person and be ahead. It could be in
the business, service sector, or education sector. A person cannot see another person
moving and going ahead at a very rapid pace. It is a matter of shame and ignominy that
there are such incidents that have occurred on account of sheer jealousy, and just to bring a
jolt and halt to the bright and prosperous career of another person, these means have been
employed.

Vengeance by Rejected and Rebuffed So-called Lovers

This is one of the major causes for throwing acid on the victim. When a person is rejected of
his marriage proposal or advances of a person are rebuffed by a woman, it is taken as spite,
and out of vengeance, acid is used on the woman to teach her a lesson. For the committer,
it hardly takes few moments to throw the acid on the victim and satisfy a grisly sense of
retaliation against the seeming denunciation. These people fail to comprehend that the
lesson that they are teaching is not temporary, but is permanent which spoils not only the
looks of the woman but also has a devastating effect on her life throughout.

Safeguarding the Honor of the Family   

In order to shield the honor of the family, people have resorted to such barbaric acts and
have used acid as a means to forbid women to retaliate against the accepted norms and
ethnicities of the family.