Rebuilding life, one day at a time

More than medical treatment needed to help rehabilitate victims of acid attacks, say experts at the launch of the southern chapter of a survivors’ foundation

March 04, 2015 07:31 am | Updated 07:31 am IST - CHENNAI:

In her dreams, Pragya Prasun continues to see her face as it used to be 10 years ago — before a man, in an act of vengeance, threw acid on her.

“When I was a teenager, I would experiment with beauty products to fight pimples. Now, I don’t fight with beauty products any longer, I fight to look normal every day,” says the survivor.

Ms. Prasun was speaking at the launch of Acid Survivors Foundation India’s (ASFI) southern India chapter in Chennai on Tuesday.

Acid attacks are among the worst forms of gender violence, says Rahul Varma, national director of ASFI.

Southern India, he says, accounts for 12 per cent of the acid attacks in the country. Andhra Pradesh leads with 30 attacks between 2010 and July 2014, followed by 16 in Karnataka. Tami Nadu has had 10 attacks during this period, as per data from the home ministry, says Mr. Varma.

Over the past several years, some measures have been taken to tackle this problem: defining acid attacks as a specific offence under the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013; framing of rules by several States to monitor the sale of acid and measures for compensation to victims.

However, a lot more needs to be done, says Mr. Varma. Inordinate delays in investigation, cases pending for years together, low rates of conviction, and the continued easy availability of acid in many parts of the country are issues that need urgent attention, he says.

Calling for stringent punishment for such crimes, H.P. Kanoria, chairman, ASFI, says the country needs to launch a ‘war on terror caused by acid attacks’.

In Tamil Nadu too, activists have called for better regulation of acid sales. In February 2013, 23-year-old J. Vinodhini died at a hospital in Chennai, after an acid attack the previous November. In August 2013, an additional sessions court sentenced her attacker to a life term.

However, according to N.S. Venkatraman, secretary, Chemical Industries Association, despite regulations, there has been no real change in the way acid is sold in Tamil Nadu — it can still be bought relatively easily.

Talking about the immense difficulties in administering medical treatment to victims of acid attacks, doctors from Sankara Nethralaya say often multiple surgeries are required to try and save the victims’ eyes or restore some amount of vision.

This apart, treatment of burns and plastic surgery involves not just extended periods of time but huge expenses too, which most victims cannot afford, they say.

“Victims of acid attacks need much more than medical treatment. The trauma of an acid attack is so profound, it escalates with every passing day. More so, because it is unexpected and the victim is unprepared,” says Prasanna Gettu, founder trustee of International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC).

But I don’t need sympathy, says Ms. Prasun. “I lost some years of my life and I lost my dreams. What I need is support. I am not my face. I am what I make of myself.”

Trauma care kit launched A kit — a resource tool for service organisations and providers in the field of victim care — has been launched.

The kit will help identify the challenges and problems of survivors as well as caregivers, guide organisations on exploring these issues and help hospitals become trauma informed, says Ms. Gettu.

It will also address the issues of prevention of further trauma, psycho-social care and rehabilitation, among other things.

The kit was launched by PCVC and ASFI, funded by LUSH, Vancouver, through Acid Survivors Trust International, London.

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