Simply hearing the phrase "acid attacks" is extremely risky and audacious. There are several uses for acid, including burning and decomposition. Acid is a very deadly chemical. Despite the fact that scientists employ acids in a variety of research, no one ever considered that they could also be used to endanger lives. Lakshmi Agarwal is only one current illustration of the fact that acid attacks are not unheard of in India. Many people have been affected by acid attacks worldwide.

Introduction:
The victim's life is made unpleasant by acid attacks, which are such a horrific type of crime. Essentially, it is done to make someone's life miserable. Women are typically the victims of acid attacks. The issue with the relationships is one of the frequent causes of this. This is the issue that develops as a result of closed-minded individuals who cannot handle rejection.

Yet as a result of such individuals, violent acts of this nature-which pose a threat to society as a whole-occur all over the world. Acid assaults are on the rise everywhere, and the time has come for us to join in opposition to them and fight to ensure our safety. To end the scourge, it is time for social, medical, and legal reform.

The National Crime Bureau (NCRB) has just released its most recent crime statistics for 2018, and they reveal that incidents of acid attacks are perpetually being transferred or left unsolved in police records. This is demonstrated by the data, which shows that there were 523 cases scheduled for trial in Indian courts in 2018, up from 407 in 2016 and 422 in 2017. The fact that so few cases are resolved in a year, despite a minor drop in the overall number of "recorded" cases in a given year, is indicative of how slowly the justice system moves.

According to acid survivors trust international, the UK has one of the highest rates of acid attacks per capita in the world. Nowadays, acid attacks are documented in many different parts of the world. The greatest rate of attacks on women has been recorded since the 1990s in BANGLADESH.

The number of acid attacks in Bangladesh between 1999 and 2013 reached 3512. At least 72% of reported attacks involved at least one female victim, an examination of press reports showed. While 174 legal cases were documented for the year 2000, 153 incidences of acid assault occurred between January 2002 and October 2010. Over the past ten years, chemical assault rates have increased in India, with a high 27 reported cases in 2010.

Movies of Acid Attack:

In India, the majority of victims were more likely to have extramarital affairs, dowries, extramarital relationships, sexual assault, ex-confederates seeking retribution, property disputes and other causes.

Criminals Exhibit The Following Characteristics And Behaviours:

1. Frustrated
   Due to multiple disappointments, this condition could cause the person to become depressed or hostile. This might result in relationships, infidelity, cruelty, etc.
    
2. Egoistic
   When a person falls short of establishing a strong bond or closeness, real hostility can turn into a corrosive attack.
    
3. Seductive
   To spur on inappropriate sexual behaviour and attraction. These people have an impolite and confrontational demeanour.

Women who reject a marriage proposal or a sexual advance are frequently the targets of acid attacks in retaliation. Incidences of this nature often include gender inequality and the relative status of women in society to men. As a reported cause of acid attacks, property disputes, land disputes, and inheritance conflicts have all been mentioned.

Consequences Due To Acid Attack:

The victims are undoubtedly the ones who suffer the effects of these acts. Considering the nature of consequences, no one would ever consider them in their lifetime. Besides from irreversible facial and body scarring brought on by acids, sufferers often have severe social, psychological, and economic problems. They also permanently lose their sight. It is impossible to feel the suffering that victims endure because it is so difficult.

The most terrifying act committed against a person's body, specifically to cause physical harm, is an acid attack. Rationally speaking, victims of such crimes will endure great suffering throughout their lives.

The victim faces both physical difficulties that require lengthy surgical treatment and psychological difficulties that necessitate in-depth psychiatric and counselling interventions at each level of physical recovery.

1. Medical Effect

   Attacks with acid have a significant medical impact. According to the survey report, the face is the target of the majority of acid attacks. The amount of acid present affects how much damage is done.
   
   The following are the typical damages that already affect 99% of acid attack victims:
   • Hair is missing and much of the head is ruined
   • Deafness may result; typically, ear cartilage is partially or completely compromised.
   • The nostrils may totally seal off due to damaged cartilage, and the nose may shrink and change in shape.
   • Sometimes the lips and cheeks may be damaged entirely or partially, showing the teeth. The mouth shrinks and gets smaller. Speaking and eating become more challenging.
      

2. Psychological Effect

   In order to raise awareness and assist victims, psychological evaluations of acid victims, particularly female victims, should be discussed globally.
   
   • Post-traumatic stress disorder:
     Those who fail to heal after experiencing terrible situations can have an impact on this problem. Due to their propensity, acid victims are typically severely harmed. Often, female victims are more likely to suffer from these diseases. The victim may have intense fear of the perpetrators, and subsequent circumstances could make them feel isolated or resentful of those who commit such crimes.
   • Frustration is a feeling many corrosive attack victims experience when their true identities are revealed after they encounter a tragic circumstance.
   • Misandry is the hatred of men and young men, which is a trait frequently observed among women.
      

3. Social:

   There are several societal repercussions for the victims, particularly women, in addition to the medical and psychological effects. Due to these attacks, they are now reliant on their partner or family to complete simple tasks like eating and running errands. Many acid attack survivors are unable to find employment because they have poor vision or are physically disabled. The families that care for them are adversely affected, which has a detrimental impact on their capacity to make a living.

Treatments:
These are the first aid procedures that should be followed for acid burns. Chemical burns demand rapid medical intervention.

• First aid's most crucial step is to thoroughly cleanse patients' injured body parts with either fresh or salt water as soon as possible.
• As soon as the patient no longer feels burning, continue to thoroughly rinse the burned area with cool water. A 30- to 45-minute wait is possible.
• Do not wear any jewellery or clothes that has come into touch with acid.
• Using creams or ointments of any type could delay the doctor's ability to treat the condition.
• To wrap the injured region loosely, if at all feasible, use sterile gauze.
• Patients are urged to follow a stringent aftercare routine, which includes frequent dressing changes, after receiving hospital treatment.
• Patients may also suggest seeking counselling because acid attacks are traumatising.
• Avoid taking certain actions in the event of an acid attack.

Although we believe milk could be a relaxing treatment for an acid burn, experts advise against it. Although milk is typically alkaline, as it ages, it gets more acidic. Milk might make infections more likely.

Prevention:
In response to the worldwide rise in acid attacks, research has produced a number of solutions. In order to address this social issue, nearly all studies emphasised the necessity of strong restriction of acid sales. For the purpose of preventing acid attacks, numerous NGOs have been established in areas where they are most common. In an effort to raise awareness and support for acid attacks, Charities also offer survivors of the crime therapeutic services.

Between acid assaults and ease of acid purchase, a positive association has been established. Sulphuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids, which are all affordable and easily accessible, are the most often employed acids in acid assaults.

Many groups demand stronger control of the acid economy due to how easily it can be accessed.

• All acid traders must have a licence, according to the specifications.
• A restriction on the use of concentrated acid in particular areas and an improved system for tracking acid sales.
• All legal documentation must be provided by the buyer before purchasing acid.

Laws relating to acid attacks in India:

There are currently no particular laws in India that address cases of acid assaults. Because acid attacks are not covered by section 326 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with intentionally causing great bodily harm with dangerous objects or methods, this horrific crime was not as easily prosecuted. The Indian penal code's new sections 326A and 326B, as well as section 114B of the evidence act, were then proposed by the country's 18th law commission to deal with the criminals.

Because it excludes certain types of injuries, the act of administering an acid assault, and specifies neither the fine to be imposed nor the sentence that would be meted out to the guilty, section 326's relatively limited reach does not appropriately address the issue of acid attacks.

According to the criminal law amendment act 2013 that was authorised by the union ministry of law and justice and published in the Indian Gazette on April 2, section 100 of the Indian Penal Code was added under chapter II of the amendment bill.

The Attack That Shook A Nation

Laxmi, the most well-known survivor of acid attacks in India, was just 15 years old when a guy threw an acid assault at her face in 2005. When Laxmi rejected a man who was twice her age's overtures, he splashed acid on her as she was leaving her piano lesson.

Her face and other bodily parts were deformed as a result of the event. Despite timely care over a ten-year period, she underwent several operations, which nearly had an impact on her mental health. But Laxmi rose to the occasion and overcame the battle of life with courage and tenacity.

For acid assaults, there was no particular regulation until 2013. In order to apply the IPC Sections 322, 323, 320, and 326(2) to this offence and the compensation which will not cover their medical costs but instead go to the victims. A legislation specifically addressing acid assaults was urgently needed because they are on the rise. And the court heard about this matter in Laxmi v. Union of India.

Judgement of Supreme Court
After this case the Indian Penal Code recognized the acid attacks and attempt to do acid attack as a crime under 326A and 326B of IPC. And criminal procedure code got amended and inserted 357 A and 357 B to compensate the victims.

The following numbers represents the acid attack incidents from 2013 to 2018 in India.

Conclusion:
The most heinous and frequently gender-specific type of violence that is documented is acid assaults. Even though there have been reports of acid assaults all around the world, India has seen an increase in these cases. Although the beginning of legal improvements in the acid attack laws is encouraging, there is still a long way to go until these provisions are fully implemented. Although it is acknowledged that new law requires time to take effect and evolve as a result of the judiciary's dynamism, some of the first problems need to be fixed.

Given the nature and seriousness of the violation, the present acid attack laws and judicial method to determining the amount of damages are highly limited. The gaps in Indian law and how important it is to establish a special legislation in this area have also been discussed. It would be appropriate to punish this act harshly because it appears to have been premeditated and required a great deal of malice on the side of the offender. In addition, fair victim compensation is an essential element for upholding the rule of law.