# Why are acid attacks so popular? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051 "2009-12-30T15:42:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/1 "2009-12-30T15:42:41Z")
In certain parts of the world, assaults - usually domestic violence - are often carried out by throwing/pouring acid onto the victim’s face. See [Acid Throwing.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_throwing) This sort of assault would seem to require much more premeditation than, say, the use of fists or a nearby kitchen knife. So why are they so common in those parts of the world? While premeditated domestic violence does take place in other parts of the world, it rarely involves acid. Why the difference? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/2 "2009-12-30T15:49:57Z")
At a guess - strong acids have a lot of industrial uses, so may not be that hard to come by. They’re likely to disfigure and/or blind, but not that likely to kill - so if that’s your goal, it makes sense to use them. As for why it’s more popular in some parts of the world than others, a couple possibilities come to mind: 1.) Dumb luck. Country X has an acid attack, someone else reads about it in the news, and says to himself, “Hey! I’m an evil jackass just like that other guy, and this sounds like a great idea!” Then that second ass’s attack gets in the news, inspires another copycat, and so on. 2.) Maybe in some cultures, such attacks are more damaging (and thus, effective) than others. In a place where women don’t normally work (or don’t work in the professions), marriage might be one of the very few avenues into the middle class available. Disfiguring injuries probably make marriage less likely. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/3 "2009-12-30T15:52:03Z")
Because it disfigures the woman. Essentially, its telling women in that society that if they disobey their men then they will disfigured thus not able to get another man and have to live with the public shame of being an acid victim. In Muslim countries its used against unveiled women or girls who dare go to school. \>This sort of assault would seem to require much more premeditation than, It is a premeditated attack. Its not some crime of passion. Its done on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/4 "2009-12-30T15:55:07Z")
It’s a terrorist act. It is generally done by men to women to intimidate them and “ruin” them. The attacker believes that if the woman lives, she will be shunned and cowed for the rest of her life. For example, in [Afghanistan](http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/haveyoursay/2008/12/081211_yourstory_afghanacid.shtml)it has been done to keep women out of school, and in [India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7270568.stm) to punish a woman for rejection. From the second article, > [@](#): > > The attack is not committed in a fit of anger or “passion” as is popularly believed but is premeditated and intended to kill or maim. and > [@](#): > > One school teacher, scarred by acid, had to quit her job because the children found her frightening. > > Most employers will not accept acid victims back, punishing them for a crime committed by someone else. ---
**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/5 "2009-12-30T16:17:22Z")
Because acid attacks are permanently scarring. It is very common in India if the husband’s family doesn’t think the wife’s family paid enough of a dowery. The threat of the wife being permanently scarred with acid is used to make the wife’s family pay up. Yes, acid throwing is definitely a premeditated attack and it is used as a threat, especially against women. The idea is you first ask the woman to do something for you (sexual favors, get her family to pay more money, etc.) and then threaten to splash her with acid if she doesn’t come through. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/6 "2009-12-30T16:23:46Z")
I agree that it is probably no more complicated than a local trend- acid is easy to get, acid attacks get published, and the next guy who wants to screw over a woman immediate thinks of it. Domestic violence, like suicide methods, can be highly subject to regional trends. > [@HorseloverFat](#): > > In Muslim countries its used against unveiled women or girls who dare go to school. Be careful with that broad brush- you seem to imply that acid attacks are a feature of Muslim countries in general. Acid attacks are a feature of South Asian countries, some of which happen to be Muslim. Small, but important, difference. ---
**Author:** ![Bartman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bartman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bartman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/7 "2009-12-30T16:24:33Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > At a guess - strong acids have a lot of industrial uses, so may not be that hard to come by. When I lived in Brazil, I had a clogged drain pipe. So I went down to the store for some Draino or the like. There I bought the really good stuff as recommended by the store keeper. It was so good that it ate through the pipe and then the concrete wall the pipe was in. And then it carved a drip channel down the side of the building. I’ve never seen anything like it. Talking with neighbors, evidently I had used it incorrectly. I was supposed to strongly dilute and apply in small doses over an extended period. Where as I had used it like Drano, and dumped half a bottle right onto of the clog… oops. Lots of counties have much more lax chemical restrictions than the US. This is stuff every house had a bottle of. And I can imagine that it would certainly be easy to disfigure someone with it. So accessibility is not an issue at all. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/8 "2009-12-30T21:14:36Z")
\>Acid attacks are a feature of South Asian countries, some of which happen to be Muslim. Small, but important, difference. Its fair for me to mention Islam as the people who are throwing this stuff on women and children in the examples I mentioned earlier ARE DOING IT FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS. I dont need politically correct lessons, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/9 "2009-12-30T21:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > When I lived in Brazil, I had a clogged drain pipe. So I went down to the store for some Draino or the like. There I bought the really good stuff as recommended by the store keeper. It was so good that it ate through the pipe and then the concrete wall the pipe was in. And then it carved a drip channel down the side of the building. I’ve never seen anything like it. Talking with neighbors, evidently I had used it incorrectly. I was supposed to strongly dilute and apply in small doses over an extended period. Where as I had used it like Drano, and dumped half a bottle right onto of the clog… oops. Sounds as if the chief ingredient is Xenomorph Blood from _Alien_. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/10 "2009-12-30T21:20:54Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > \>Its fair for me to mention Islam as the people who are throwing this stuff on women and children in the examples I mentioned earlier ARE DOING IT FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS. I dont need politically correct lessons, thanks. But it’s been thoroughly established in this very thread that that is not necessarily the case. We’ve seen mention of this happening in India, by Hindus. India is primarily a Hindu country, and most of the perpetrators are Hindus, not Muslim. But India IS in South Asia. It’s also been explained that in fact many of the attacks, if not MOST of the attacks, are not for religious reasons. Many are extortionary, culturally driven, political, or just pure old-fashioned domestic violence. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/11 "2009-12-30T21:41:36Z")
Reread my statement. I addressed both the secular and religious reasons for the attack. My statement on Islam is this: - In Muslim countries its used against unveiled women or girls who dare go to school.\* Its not “all acid attacks are caused by Islam.” Are you guys even reading my posts? ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/12 "2009-12-30T21:48:27Z")
> [@xnylder](#): > > It’s a terrorist act. Please explain which terrorist organization is responsible for organizing and funding these attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/13 "2009-12-30T21:57:21Z")
> [@Bartman](#): > > When I lived in Brazil, I had a clogged drain pipe. So I went down to the store for some Draino or the like. There I bought the really good stuff as recommended by the store keeper. It was so good that it ate through the pipe and then the concrete wall the pipe was in. And then it carved a drip channel down the side of the building. I’ve never seen anything like it. Obviously not a [Dr. Bronner’s](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/904/why-the-weird-religious-ravings-on-dr-bronners-soap) product. **Dilute! Dilute! OK!** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/14 "2009-12-30T22:01:14Z")
From the OP’s wiki article: “According to Taru Bahl and M.H. Syed, 80% of victims of these acid attacks are female and almost 40% are under 18 years of age.” I think that’s a chunk of the answer right there. Obligatory link to [Shake Girl](http://www.stanford.edu/group/cwstudents/shakegirl/). ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/15 "2009-12-30T22:29:18Z")
I’m guessing that many of the attacks are really carried out using alkali substances, but the media keeps sullying acid’s good name because it sells. It’s this sort of thing that keeps bases from rising up to an equal level with acids in the caustic substance family. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/16 "2009-12-30T22:54:19Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Please explain which terrorist organization is responsible for organizing and funding these attacks. I used the term “terrorist attack” figuratively, as per the definition of “terror” [here](http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=terror): (n) terror (the use of extreme fear in order to coerce people (especially for political reasons)) “he used terror to make them confess” But if you want a literal example, you don’t have to look far. Here’s one from the [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7747621.stm): > [@](#): > > Police in southern Afghanistan have arrested 10 men in connection with an acid attack on schoolgirls earlier this month, officials say. > > The men are all Taleban insurgents and some have confessed to taking part in the attack, the authorities say. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/17 "2009-12-30T23:06:02Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Reread my statement. I addressed both the secular and religious reasons for the attack. My statement on Islam is this: > > - > > In Muslim countries its used against unveiled women or girls who dare go to school.\* Yes, but the above, stated as such, seems to imply that a) women don’t go to school in any Muslim countries without risking reprisals and that b) women are required to expected veil themselves in all Muslim countries. Neither of those statements, put so broadly, are correct. In Iran for example, women both attend school and go unveiled ( but with head scarves, which is maybe what you meant ) without any acid attacks far as I can tell ( it appears that women now make up to [60% of new university entrants in Iran](http://www.parstimes.com/women/women_universities.html) ). In fact that may not have been what you intended to say at all, but I hope you can see where the misapprehension might arise. A better construction would be: _In some areas, for example parts of Afghanistan, these attacks have been used against women by fundamentalist Muslims seeking to punish them for trying to go to school or going without veils in public._ ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/18 "2009-12-30T23:46:34Z")
\>In fact that may not have been what you intended to say at all, but I hope you can see where the misapprehension might arise Heaven forbid I dont use perfectly exact language because the easily offended loud mouth derailing PC brigade loves to jump to conclusions to ride their high horses and spout from their soap boxes. What I wrote is perfectly fucking correct unless you go out of your way to misinterpret it for the sake of being a smart ass. Nowhere did I write “only in muslim countries” or “all muslims” or anything else to suggest otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/19 "2009-12-31T00:01:44Z")
\>In Iran for example, women both attend school and go unveiled Where is your outrage at the comments about India? India has like 30 provinces and very different cultures. I doubt acid throwing is distributed equally amongst them. Or are you just hyper sensitive to purely Islamic concerns? ---
**Author:** ![Helix1047](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Helix1047](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helix1047)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051/20 "2009-12-31T00:19:07Z")
> [@](#): > > In Muslim countries its used against unveiled women or girls who dare go to school. I dont think this is true or anywhere near true. I know alot of girls from Iran, and they all have serious college educations… one of friends grew up in Iran and she has a engineering PHD. The insinuation that women who dare to go to school or go unveiled in Muslim countries will be disfigured with acid represents the broad stereotyping of “Muslim” countries and Muslims themselves as barbaric. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-acid-attacks-so-popular/523051.md?page=2)