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Katie Piper - No Boundaries For Savagery
Katie’s story of being attacked by acid on a busy London street in the middle of the afternoon has shocked the nation. Unfortunately, Katie is not the first, and is unlikely to be the last victim of an acid attack.
Being attacked with highly corrosive acid for breaking off a relationship, or rejecting a man’s advances after being asked to go out on a date or turning down a marriage proposal is common practice in many countries. This is why the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) is an organisation which supports acid and burn survivors across the globe.
I have met several women from around the world who are just like Katie, who were attacked after rejecting sexual advances, who had acid poured over their heads after they told their husbands they want a divorce or who as young as 16 suffered from acid burns after confiding in their husband that they want to carry on their education. The stories go on and the number of acid and burn survivors only increases. They live their lives deeply scared, the visible as well as the invisible skin deep scars. At ASTI we always aspire to create confidence in our survivors through empowerment, just like Katie demonstrates – regardless of disfigurement it is possible to live a life with your head held high, it is possible to smile through the scars.
What gets me the most is despite the legislation in place in the UK, and the regulations on the sale and control of acid, the resemblance of circumstances surrounding this attack are all too similar to incidences that occur in Bangladesh, India, Uganda, Pakistan and Cambodia, where Acid Survivors Trust International supports its sister foundations, the Acid Survivors Foundations. Katie Piper’s case illustrates ASTI’s claim that acid violence is a global phenomenon, that although acid attacks occur in significant numbers in African, South Asian and South-East Asian countries, it is shocking to see just how widespread this is across the world, from the Third World, to the First.
Although men and children also get attacked (in growing numbers!), we can’t lose sight of the fact that this is quite possibly the worst form of violence against women.
What drives a person to do this is beyond me. I have wondered for some time, but after years of thinking I’m nowhere nearer to finding an answer. Judge Nicholas Brown QC, does highlight something worth mentioning is his judgement: “Your conclusion was that if you could not have the victim, you would destroy her, wreck her life and end her blossoming career”.
Why is this? Where does this thinking come from – If I can not have her, no one can!
Posted on October 21st 2009 by Test Member in Blog
