Governments must police sale of acid strictly

I am horrified by the acid attacks in London (“Police say boy charged with 15 offences after London acid attacks”; July 16, online, and “UK police appeal for information after spate of acid attacks”; July 14, online).

According to Acid Survivors Trust International, around 1,500 attacks are recorded worldwide annually. The actual number of cases is higher; acid victims may not report the crime owing to fear of reprisal.

And it is difficult to determine whether attacks are increasing or more victims are coming forward.

An acid attack is a heinous crime that lasts a lifetime and destroys not only the victims’ faces but also their sense of self-worth. They must come to terms with being stripped of their identity. Their lives change.

There is no singular reason for most acid attacks. They can be acts of jealousy or revenge, honour crimes, gang violence, et cetera.

It is imperative to bring the culprits to justice — and to regulate the sale of acid so that it is not readily obtainable to just anyone.

After the recent spate of attacks, the United Kingdom may introduce new restrictions on corrosive substances.

Other governments should follow suit with tougher acid controls and licensing laws, not only to make it harder to buy acid but also to track down those who buy it.