Acid Survivors Foundation, Bangladesh

by Stijn Pieters

The Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) is a pioneer and a unique non-governmental organisation established in 1999 in Bangladesh. It’s ultimate goal is to eradicate acid violence from Bangladesh. However, every two days there’s another gruesome acid attack. Victims of acid violence need plastic surgery, help for reintegration in the society and legal assistance. ASF provides the acid survivors adequate and free support on the medical, psychological, legal and reintegration level. And ASF raises public awareness by organising rallies, performing theatre or campaings in the media.

Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the Acid Survivors Foundation there are less incidents the last years. In 2008 there were according to official statistics 137 registrated incidents. Till about seven years ago that number was triple and the main reasons to attack somebody with acid were refusing a marriage proposal, refusing sex or conflicts about dowry.
However the last years there is a striking trend in the reasons behind the attacks. Today most cases are related to land disputes, something which is very scarce in an overpopulated country like Bangladesh that’s also facing rapidly rising water levels.

Women and children are the largest group of victims of acid violence. Men mostly work outside while women stay at home with the children what makes them an easy prey for an acid attack. Despite good laws only ten percent of the cases leading to a prosecution or a concviction of the perpetrator. Corruption, nepotism and pressure from the society are the main reasons for dropping a case.

Portraying heavy disfigured acid survivors was not always easy but the respectful and positive atmosphere between the dedicated ASF staff, many of them acid survivors too, and the patients gave me the courage to complete my story

Stijn Pieters On behalf of Acid Survivors Foundation