• Tanya Gupta

This thesis explores the issue of acid attack violence: a sadistic and cruel form of violence that involves the intentional throwing of corrosive acid onto another person with the intention of disfiguration. Acid attack violence occurs in many countries but is particularly prevalent in: Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Cambodia. Global statistics suggest that attacks are predominantly perpetrated by men as a result of shame and loss of face or loss of honour. Developing an understanding of the motivations and aetiology of this form of violence is the focus of this thesis as much of the current discourses and interventions are focused on the victims of these crimes, and do not address or investigate underlying root causes. Drawing on He is and colleagues adapted socio-ecological model, this thesis will explore factors that contribute to the acid attack violence and will refer to high-profile cases in Cambodia, Bangladesh and India. Acid attack is a deep rooted social evil. Over the years, the intensity of this crime has attracted social activists, legislators, judges as well as researchers to identify measures to curb this evil. A lot of work has already been published that deals with the various aspects of the cruel act of acid throwing. As the degrading act of human rights abuse through acid throwing is attracting the interest of researcher’s to study the various aspects of this crime; it is necessary to study and review the existing literatures so that the efforts put by the earlier authors are not repeated. In this paper, the author makes a humble attempt to review the existing literatures on acid attack in India. Further, the paper also identifies the gaps that may be taken up for further investigation and research. Acid attacks or violence is such violence where acid is intentionally thrown on the victim to maim, disfigure or to blind her. It is a bitter aspect of many women’s life all over the globe. Many of these attacks are the acts of revenge because a woman spurns sexual advances or rejects a marriage proposal. These men feel so insulted that a woman could turn them down and have an attitude of “If I can’t have you, no one can.”It reflects a deeply entrenched misogyny against women by husbands, disgruntled lovers and other male relatives. Survivors are unable to bear the long drawn treatment and left to nurse emotional and physical scars for life, while their assailants roam free and get away with minimal or almost no punishment from an apathetic, ignorant and uncaring state. India still categorizes it as a grievous hurt, dolling out penalties which are lenient and jail terms which are bailable. India is the fourth most dangerous place in the world for women to live in as women belonging to any class or creed and religion can be victims of this cruel form of violence and disfigurement, a premeditated crime intended to kill or maim her permanently. The Apex Court of India i.e. the Supreme Court has also laid down certain provisions on the sale of these acids, thereby paving the way to the Criminal Amendment Act, 2013. This act contains certain major provisions on acid attack violence which was never before

ACID ATTACK ON WOMEN IN INDIA

"ACID ATTACK ON WOMEN IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no.37-52, April-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904506.pdf

"ACID ATTACK ON WOMEN IN INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 4, page no. pp37-52, April-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1904506.pdf