Photo Essays

Asia’s Shame: Acid Attacks

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Photo Essays | Society

Asia’s Shame: Acid Attacks

Every year, about 1500 people are attacked with acid. Most are in Asia.

The throwing of acid onto the face, which almost invariably leaves permanent physical and psychological scars, is a worldwide phenomenon, but it is particularly prevalent in Asia. Women, many of them still children, are especially at risk.

In this photo essay, Ann-Christine Woehrl documents the stories of a number of victims of acid attacks in Bangladesh, which has the highest reported incidence of acid assault in the world. Many of the victims are subsequently shunned by society. Some receive assistance from the Acid Survivors Foundation.