Rise of the Phoenix - Acid Attacks Against Indian Women

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Women are the wealth of any nation and they have contributed in almost every field and made the country feel proud on every occasion. They are in front, leading the country, making milestones, and a source of inspiration for many even in a developing country like: India. However, another reality of Indian society is that there is a systematic discrimination and neglect of women's identity and dignity, which could be in terms of inadequate nutrition, denial or limited access to education, health and property rights, child labour, and domestic violence, etc. The fear of sexual violence is a major thing that restricts women's behaviour and sense of freedom. It's not only the struggle against violence but also against the unequal distribution of power of both physical and economic between the sexes.

One such violence towards women is Acid Attacks.

India's acid attack victims. Image Courtesy: Stop Acid Attacks

According to National Crime Records Bureau, between 2014 and 2018, there were 1,483 victims of acid attacks recorded within the country. The year 2017 witnessed the highest number of acid attacks in these five years at 309, with 319 victims. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Delhi have consecutively ranked among the ten worst states for acid attacks from 2014 to 2018. All the three states alone structure 42 percent of the victims of acid attacks in India, in these five years. As analysed by the Indian Print Media, 34% of the cases have the motive to revenge against rejection in marriage, refusal of sexual advances by the women, and dowry disagreements. Land, property, and or business disputes accounted for 20% of acid assaults in India.

Reshma Qureshi is an Indian model, vlogger, and anti-acid activist. In India, she is the face of 'Make Love Not Scars.' The NGO devoted to victims of Acid Attacks. Reshma bagged the modelling opportunity after she walked the catwalk for Archana Kochhar at the 2016 New York Fashion Week. She was just 17 and on her way to a school exam when a group of men threw acid on her face. Her older sister's abusive husband and two of his relatives were behind the attack. Reshma lost vision in one eye and has a disfigured face for a lifetime, but she refuses to hide her face the way most acid attack victims in India do. Instead, she is now an advocate for fellow victims and posts beauty vlogs — while also raising awareness about the scourge of acid attacks. Despite her brush with the planet of haute couture, she still doesn't have what she wants: employment. She recently presented a book written about her Being Reshma at the Bangalore Literature Festival 2019, and the challenging journey of her life moved the audience.

In 2013, the Supreme Court banned the over-the-counter sale of acid. It states that the acids must be sold just for a legitimate reason. Moreover, the buyer must produce valid identity proof and necessary details of why they require the acid? But the real picture is grim. Many flout this law and have limited awareness regarding its sale.

Image Courtesy: makelovenotscars.org

Reshma, Tania (Founder of the NGO), and their team at Make Love Not Scars are fighting to stop the illegal sale of acid in India. "I will continue my fight against the sale of acid within the market and acid attacks. It is not just women who are victims. Even men, families, children, and Transgenders became victims in India," says Reshma, who is getting treated from a hospital in Los Angeles to regain vision in her left eye.

Author:
Shubhangi Roy