SURVIVOR

The word Youth stands for Young, energetic, talented, innovative etc. The youth of a country depicts the future of any country. But it’s a harsh reality of our country that the youth of our country is becoming short temper, egoistic, arrogant etc. These changes in the youth have led to various issues one of them is acid attack. According to BBC it claims that 1500 attacks are reported worldwide every year.

Since we know that Science along with Mother Nature has given us so many things which is making our life easier. Through science only we get to know about various acids and bases that are used on our daily life. But now people are using in another forms like people are splashing a person or object with acid in order to deface or kill them.

Instances of acid attacks are no longer a rarity in India. Despite this, there are no specific laws that deal with this heinous crime. While these attacks can be attributed to various factors such as the social weakness of women in a male-dominated society, the situation is exacerbated by the general neglect of the lawmakers. As acid is inexpensive and easily available, it serves as an ideal weapon for the perpetrators. So far, there is no separate law to deal with acid attacks. Cases are registered under sections 320 (causing emasculation and disfigurement), 322 and 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means). Under these sections, the accused could be sent to jail for a period of one year to 10 years. Further, as this offence is bailable in certain situations, the punishment does not act as a sufficient deterrent in most cases. The crime of acid attack has a gender dimension in India, with majority of the victims being women.

We all are aware about what acid is and what the effect of acid on our body is.  Acid melts flesh and even the bones of a person, it causes an unparalleled degree of pain to the victim and leaves her mutilated and scarred as well as gives permanent disabilities at times such as blindness. Firstly acid causes the skin tissue to dissolve, which often results in the bones becoming exposed beneath the flesh; at times it can even melt the bone. When acid comes into contact with the eyes, it can permanently damage these organs. Many acid attack victims may have survived, but by paying the price of losing one or both eyes. The victims are traumatized physically, socially and psychologically. Recovering from the trauma of an attack takes time, and even more time is needed for the victims to adjust to their disfigurements. They often become isolated and ostracized in society; the scars left by the acid going beyond just the skin.
This further damages the victims’ self-esteem, self-confidence and seriously undermines their professional and personal future. Women who have survived acid attacks suffer in their attempts to live and function in normal society. They have great difficulty in finding partners, if unmarried, and finding work or sustaining a career.

One question that came to my mind after reading all these facts that why do people engage in such vicious acts? Unfortunately, there are no straightforward answers to this question. There are a number of different reasons why individuals commit this heinous crime. Many of these reasons are egotistical: men who cannot handle rejection from a girl, or in the case of a woman seeking divorce from an abusive husband, the man’s fear of being dishonored in society. Aside from this, the less privileged classes suffer economically and have poor literacy rates. They perhaps do not understand the severity and damage an acid attack can have on a victim’s life.

But there are so many in this world who have gone out of the way.  One of them is Laxmi In 2005, when Delhi resident Laxmi was 15 years old, she turned down a marriage proposal from a 32 year old man.
Slighted by her rejection, the man (with help from a friend) attacked Laxmi while she was out shopping one day. They poured acid on her face and arms. After fighting with determination now she is the director of Chhanv Foundation, an NGO dedicated to help the survivors of acid attacks in India. Laxmi received a 2014 International Women of Courage award by US First Lady Michelle Obama. She was also chosen as the NDTV Indian of the Year. Now she is also married to Alok dixit(a journalist turned social activist ) and  she is a mother of 7 month old Pihu.

This heartbreaking crime can be reduce only by Better laws and stricter punishment. But the determination of the victim can be biggest slap on the accused face.

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