Acid attacks affect an estimated 10,000 people worldwide each year, according to Acid Survivors Trust International. That figure is almost certainly an undercount, since many attacks go unreported, particularly in countries without dedicated tracking systems. The true scope of this violence stretches across every continent, with the highest concentrations in South and Southeast Asia, followed by parts of Europe, South America, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Where Acid Attacks Are Most Common
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Colombia, and Cambodia consistently report the highest rates of acid attacks globally. Uganda also sees significant numbers. These countries share a combination of factors that fuel the problem: corrosive substances are cheap and easy to buy, legal penalties have historically been weak, and cultural dynamics around gender, honor, and property disputes create specific flashpoints for this type of violence.
In Western countries, the pattern looks different. The United Kingdom, particularly London, saw a sharp rise in acid attacks during the mid-2010s, with many incidents tied to gang activity and street crime rather than domestic violence. A joint assessment by the National Counterterrorism Center, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI noted that criminal and gang-related assaults involving corrosive substances have risen sharply in some Western nations. Acid is easy to obtain, simple to conceal, and difficult to trace, which makes it appealing to perpetrators in a range of settings.
Who Is Targeted
The average victim is around 29 years old. A systematic review covering 3,599 chemical assault victims across 90 studies found the gender split was closer to even than many people assume: about 51% of victims were women and 49% were men. That near-equal ratio reflects the variety of motives behind these attacks globally, from gang violence (which disproportionately affects men) to domestic and gender-based violence (which disproportionately affects women).
The picture shifts dramatically by region. In South Asian countries, where acid attacks are most often rooted in gender-based violence, women and girls make up the vast majority of victims. One widely cited global estimate puts the figure at 80% female in these contexts. Meanwhile, in countries where gang-related attacks dominate, men are the primary targets. Regardless of the victim’s gender, perpetrators are overwhelmingly male: men commit roughly 89% of acid attacks worldwide.
Why People Carry Out These Attacks
There is no single motive. The most commonly documented reasons include:
- Gang violence and retribution: Particularly common in the UK and parts of Latin America, where acid serves as a weapon in territorial disputes and personal vendettas.
- Domestic abuse: A tool of control and punishment within intimate relationships, especially in South Asia.
- Rejected proposals or advances: A significant driver in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, where a woman’s refusal of marriage or romantic attention can trigger an attack.
- Honor-based violence: Attacks carried out by family members who believe the victim has brought shame on the family.
- Land and property disputes: Particularly in rural areas of South Asia and parts of Africa.
- Hate crimes and racism: A smaller but documented category, especially in Western countries.
- Robbery: Corrosive substances are sometimes thrown during armed robberies to incapacitate victims.
The intent behind most acid attacks is not to kill but to permanently disfigure. That deliberate targeting of appearance and identity is what distinguishes this form of violence and what makes its psychological toll so severe.
What Survivors Face
The physical damage from a corrosive substance depends on the chemical used, its concentration, how long it stays on the skin, and which parts of the body are hit. The face is the most common target. Sulfuric acid (found in car batteries), hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid are among the substances most frequently used, though alkaline chemicals like drain cleaners can cause equally devastating burns. Alkaline substances sometimes penetrate deeper into tissue than acids because they continue reacting longer.
Burns to the face often damage the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Vision loss is common. Scarring is typically severe and permanent, even with treatment. The recovery process is long and grueling. Survivors frequently need dozens of reconstructive surgeries over many years. In one documented case, a 21-year-old woman underwent 33 operations in just three years following an attack, and her treatment was still ongoing. Each surgery addresses a specific functional or cosmetic issue: restoring eyelid movement, releasing scar tissue that restricts the neck or mouth, rebuilding nasal passages, or grafting skin from other parts of the body.
Beyond the physical injuries, survivors deal with intense psychological trauma, social stigma, and economic hardship. Many lose their ability to work. In countries without strong social safety nets or insurance systems, the cost of ongoing medical care can be financially devastating for the survivor and their family.
Why the Numbers Are Hard to Pin Down
The 10,000 annual figure is a floor estimate, not a ceiling. Several factors make accurate counting difficult. Many countries have no specific legal category for acid attacks, so incidents get recorded under broader assault or burn categories. Victims in rural areas may never reach a hospital or file a police report. Shame, fear of retaliation, and distrust of authorities keep reporting rates low, particularly when the attacker is a family member or intimate partner. Even in countries with better tracking systems, definitions vary. Some tallies include only attacks with acid, while others count any corrosive substance, including bleach and ammonia.
India began separately tracking acid attacks in national crime data in 2014, which improved visibility but still captures only a fraction of incidents. Bangladesh, which was once considered the global epicenter of acid violence, saw reported cases drop significantly after passing strict laws in 2002 that restricted the sale of corrosive substances and imposed harsher penalties. That success story suggests that targeted legislation can reduce attacks, though whether Bangladesh’s decline reflects fewer attacks or fewer reports remains debated.