This 60 second video provides a fact based outline on the history of acid violence. It traces its early origins in Europe and its link to industry.

 

The video provides a fascinating insight into acid and its use as a weapon as early as the 1800s in the UK. The human stories include the one of the earliest accounts of an acid attack, in Scotland, of a young perpetrator by the name of Hugh Kennedy who was hung for attacking a fellow worker. The rise in the number of attacks in parts of Britain in the 1800’s led to one publication describing it as “almost a stain on the national character”.

 

Moving across to mainland Europe the press report on an acid attack, the blinding and the fatal shooting of a Prince by his `commoner’ lover in Vienna, Austria in 1915. During this century acid attacks then spread across other regions in the world including South Asia, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa. This spread is aided by the manufacture of acid for industrial and business purposes. In low income countries evidence shows that provinces and districts that produce or use acid also have higher rates of attacks.

 

We know that the majority of attackers are men and the majority of victims of these horrific attacks are women, this makes acid attacks a form of gender based violence.

 

We also know that acid violence is a global problem and is not confined to any one religion or culture.

 

This video is also available for sharing on ASTI's Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to tag us at @AcidSurvivorsTrustInternational for Facebook and @Acid_Survivors on Twitter, use the hashtag #TruthOnAcidViolence, and tell us what you think.

 

The wonderful artwork was created by Dan Goldman. Follow him on Twitter at @dngldmn. To find out more about his work go to kinjin.co