Physical and Psychological effects of having liquid acid thrown into your face

Imagine the physical and psychological effects of having liquid acid thrown into your face. Not surprisingly, acid attacks are called” Torture in a bottle”.

Recent statistics show that the UK, especially London, experiences more acid attacks than any other country. More surprising, men are the most common target.

Acid comes in many forms: sulfuric acid is used in drain cleaner; hydrochloric acid and ammonia are found in household products; and corrosive chemicals can be bought online without a license.

Unlike guns or knives, a bottle of acid is easy to conceal, legal to carry and simple to buy. The perfect weapon to inflict massive physical and psychological damage on anyone, anywhere.

An acid attack is more than a violent and premeditated assault to cause physical injury. It is designed to ostracise the victim from society. Horrendous disfigurement is not conducive to social interaction, however high your self- esteem.

A study of recent acid attacks worldwide  shows that they are not gender, area or time specific. But, the attackers do specifically target the face and the head of their victims.

The 6 steps to protecting yourself from an acid attack:

  1. Understand the nature and history of the threat in the area to which you will be travelling
  2. Keep away from the edges of roads or pathways when in a crowd. You can become the  victim from a random attack. 
  3. Assess your surroundings to ensure that you are stepping into puddles of acid
  4. Be careful not to transfer acid from your clothes or skin to that of someone helping you
  5. Apply a steady volume of water to the affected areas. Use enough water to douse the wound for 45 minutes or more
  6. Loosely wrap the wound with a sterilised gauze. Do not apply any creams.

if you are interested to learn more, attend one of our H.E.A.T. courses to know how to survive in any hostile environment.

H.E.A.T. tip: Do not use milk. Although  alkaline, when combined with an acid, the exothermic reaction could cause more risks.