“You can’t give up hope. When you give up hope, you’re dead,”  – Serwari, an acid violence survivor interviewed by EFU Life.  

“You can’t give up hope. When you give up hope, you’re dead,” 

Acid attacks last only moments. However, the damage they cause can last a lifetime. 

In India and Pakistan, despite differences in legal frameworks and government policies, the basic social structures that enable these types of crimes have remained astonishingly alike. 

Ashish Shukla, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Co-Founder of Chhanv Foundation, India, states that the most frequent trigger of acid attacks today is rejection and is typically linked to ego and household conflict. He notes that the causes of these incidents go far beyond individual anger and are instead rooted in how many South Asian men are socialized to view aggressive behaviour as acceptable. In these cultures, rejection is never viewed as a refusal.  Instead, it is always seen as humiliating. Therefore, violence is viewed as a way to regain a perceived loss of control. 

While India has been able to make great strides legally since 2000 regarding the regulation of acid sales and protective laws for survivors of acid violence, Shukla believes that law changes will not solve the fundamental problem. Through the work of Chhanv Foundation, survivors receive medical treatment, legal aid, psychological counselling, rehabilitation services, and support in becoming financially independent. However, Shukla indicates that the most consistent barrier to successful recovery for survivors is the socialization of society. Women continue to be dehumanized and viewed as objects to be owned and controlled. 

The story of India’s acid violence and its response is........

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