three young women learn that acid attacks don't define them |
"He warned me that if I left him, he would hunt me down. He was going to shoot me. He was going to paralyze me. He was going to throw acid on my face."
This woman, Nicole Beverly, was interviewed by the Huffington Post about her abusive husband. Unlike thousands of other women in the world, she was able to escape her partner before the abuse got out of hand. According to the BBC, about 1,500 acid attacks occur every year worldwide. However, much more go undetected. Attacks range from disputes between relatives and other close people, to just being too beautiful or handsome.
"It's not a knife attack, it's not a gun attack, it's an acid attack-- we don't want to kill you, but we want to humiliate you."
This is what a former gang member, Jermaine Lawlor said. There has been an increase in acid attacks in numerous gangs across the United States. Not only is it painful physically, it is humiliation. Imagine our society, the one where teenage girls aspire to be magazine models. Models with perfect figures, thick hair, and a beautiful face. Now imagine being in this society, with a face that is melted off, you can only see through one eye, there are remnants of the trails of acid that has seared through your flesh forever, like a tattoo. Your pride and confidence gone as people stare, knowing that once you were "normal." According to multiple articles, including this CNN article, Young teenagers are hit with acid, making them the victims of depression and often suicide.
Albeit, these victims should not be humiliated. The criminals who have done these immoral acts should be the ones embarrassed. Yes, there are laws against these attacks; however, what's the use when criminals still do it and get away with it? In many places you can easily purchase acid in local markets. Something needs to be done to enforce the rules to stop these horrendous attacks.
Sources: Huffington Post, CNN, BBC, International Business Times, Safe Horizon