Thiloththama Jayasinghe, Jadetimes Staff
T. Jayasinghe is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Political News
For a long time, India has held the unsavory reputation as the country with the highest number of acid attacks anywhere in the world. Yet, despite progressive legal frameworks in place and remarkable efforts launched by various activists and organizations, conviction rates for acid attacks have remained abnormally low to date. They prolong violence and trauma; they maintain a fragmented system of justice delivery.
Rising Acid Attack Numbers
Acid attacks in India are one of the disturbing manifestations of gender-based violence, which predominantly happen to women. These acts of aggression are usually motivated by revenge, jealousy, or because of rejection, which has left victims with life-long physical and emotional scars. According to the Acid Survivors Foundation India, more than 200 to 300 acid attacks are reported every year. However, many of these cases go unreported due to fear or stigma.
One of the reasons India tops this grim list is the accessibility of acid. Even with government regulations that restrict the sale of acid, the substance is still available throughout the country. Poor enforcement of these laws continues to make it very easy for perpetrators to carry out their heinous crimes with minimal fear of punishment.
Legal Framework and Loopholes
India took acid violence seriously, and such attacks saw the country pass strict laws against them in 2013. Under Section 326A of the Indian Penal Code, as many as life imprisonments are possible for acid attackers, apart from compensation to victims. The Supreme Court further ordered regulating sales of acid, which includes maintaining of sales records and the buyers presenting valid identification.
Despite these, the convictions remain abysmally low. A study showed that only 10% of the reported cases of acid attacks result in convictions. This is primarily because investigations are belated, forensic evidence is inadequate, and there is a compulsion on victims to settle cases or withdraw them altogether.
Survivors' Fight for Justice
Recovery for victims of acid attacks follows a long and often tortuous path to justice. Most survivors fight against the overall stigmatization by society, lack of access to proper medical treatment, and economic insecurity that hinders efforts to engage in legal battles. Also daunting is the fear of retaliation from perpetrators who usually act with impunity.
Financial compensation, however, though compelled by law, usually comes belatedly and is very meager. Most survivors remain burdened with expensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and putting their lives together with little or no state support.
It is distressing to note that India still tops the list in the world with respect to acid attacks. While laws are operating, low rates of conviction manifest a flawed system by ineffective prosecution of perpetrators and protection for survivors. The battle against this heinous crime and a meaningful societal change in regard to this atrocity requires stringent enforcement of regulations, expedited processes of law, and more supportive support systems for survivors.
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