Ronald Leung
McMaster University
What’s in a face? A focal point of emotion and communication, the human face connects us together by relaying expressions and social cues. Its arrangement and size determines, for the most part, society’s judgement of our beauty. It greets each one of us in the mirror. It is formative in building our self-worth. A delicate layer of cells and skin can play such a big part in life; it’s certainly not surprising however, that it is often the target for criminal acts of revenge, passion, and punishment.
A common occurrence in the Middle East and parts of Asia, the deep-rooted patriarchal system has prompted countless cases of disfigurement in women. The weapon of choice hydrochloric, sulfuric, or nitric acid. Used as cleaners or precursors to clothing dyes, these deadly substances can be bought for less than a dollar. That’s how much a face – and a life – is worth in those parts of the world: less than a dollar.
In a small village 300 kilometers from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, 14-year-old Shammema Akter was sleeping in her parent’s house. The window was open to air the muggy heat that was trapped inside the home after a full day of blaring sun. Akter awoke to a sudden splash of liquid. Immediately feeling pain beyond comprehension as her face bubbled, the acid liquefing her skin. Her face dripped off, her right ear disintegrated, and she remembers screaming until she fainted. That was seventeen years ago. After thirteen surgeries, Akter still suffers from blindness in her right eye, and deafness in the right ear. Her nose had to be reconstructed. The entire right side of her face remains scarred. Atker was attacked by her husband of an arranged marriage, whom she ran away from after multiple rapes. In 2006, she smiled at hearing the 43-year sentence. “I don’t look at mirrors,” Atker says— she doesn’t want the nightmares to return.
Its harsh sentences, such as the one received by Atker’s husband, that have slowly reversed the climb of acid attacks in Bangladesh. Previously a hotspot for such crimes, with close to 500 attacks reported in 2002 alone, the number has dramatically dropped to 71 in 2012. The Acid Survivors’ Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that has worked tirelessly in Bangladesh. They have not only provided support for victims, but also worked to invoke change in the country. Tougher legislation has sped up trials and tightened control on dangerous acids, discouraging attackers from committing more attacks. Media awareness has fueled the need for change. Major newspapers in Dhaka fearlessly publishing first-witness accounts of acid attacks, allowing the victims to talk about their disfigurements.
Other countries such as India still struggle to control acid attacks. A deep mentality of “deserved” retribution is still held by many. Disfigurement carries the label of being unfaithful, overly promiscuous, or disrespectful to the male figures in their lives. The blame and ostracization wrongly expressed towards the victim instead of the attacker. This mindset leads to a lack of police prioritization–in other words, if you’re the victim of an acid attack, tough luck.
It isn’t so much a misogynistic viewpoint than a deep-rooted belief in the ancient patriarchal system that allows violence against women to continue. The rape and murder of a 23-year-old last month in New Delhi made headlines across the globe, and shocked the world by revealing just how commonplace this type of violence is in certain parts of Asia. Just as this horrible crime stirred activists to protest for women’s rights, government officials and prominent religious figures also voiced their outdated, insulting, and ignorant thoughts. Member of Parliament Ramesh Bais told reports “the rape of grown-up girls and women might be understandable, but if someone does this to an infant, it is a heinous crime and the offenders should be hanged.” A self-proclaimed “godman”, Asaram Bapu also shared this view: “She [the 23-year old rape victim] should have taken God’s name and held the hand of one of the men and said ‘I consider you as my brother’.”thus purporting that if she had begged and referenced a religious connection to the rapists she would have been sparred. A social administrator, Jitendar Chattar, blames rape on instant noodles: “To my understanding, consumption of fast food contributes to such incidents. Chowmein leads to hormonal imbalance evoking an urge to indulge in such acts.” The oppression of women has been practiced for so long that even prominent politicians and leaders consider every option but the most obvious; these outdated, obtuse, and uneducated views must be dismissed before true equality can be achieved.
Legislation and government action can only go so far—although they can achieve great results, with Bangladesh’s stance on acid attacks as a perfect example. Whether or not India and other countries still mired in misogyny will follow this path is still up in the air, but with enough pressure, perhaps more legal protection for women can be achieved. What is ultimately necessary, however, is a complete equalization of the entire patriarchal system which, unfortunately, may take generations to achieve. Hopefully one day the tipping point will be reached and personal safety will not simply be a privilege, but a birthright.
"Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF)." Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF). N.p., n.d. Web.
21 Jan. 2013. <http://www.acidsurvivors.org/about.html>.
Aulakh, Raveena. "India’s male public figures are still making excuses for rape - thestar.com." News, Toronto, GTA, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Canada, World, Breaking - thestar.com. N.p., 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. <http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1313998--india-s-male-public-figur es-are-still-making-excuses-for-rape>.
Aulakh, Raveena. "The scars of hate: How Bangladesh has sharply cut acid attacks - thestar.com." News, Toronto, GTA, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Canada, World, Breaking - thestar.com. N.p., 12 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. <http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1313848--the-scars-of-hate-how-ba ngladesh-has-sharply-cut-acid-attacks>.
"Home | Acid Survivors Trust International." Home | Acid Survivors Trust International. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. <http://www.acidviolence.org/index.php>.
Jamkhandikar, Shilpa. "Short skirts, bad stars and chow mein: why Indiaâ€TMs women get raped | India Insight." Analysis & Opinion | Reuters. N.p., 8 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2013. <http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2013/01/09/short-skirts-bad-stars-and-chow-mein -why-indias-women-get-raped/>.
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ReplyDeleteRonald Leung's article illustrates the continued tension between Western standards of freedom with worlds that maintain deeply rooted and traditional beliefs. The tension is evident, we are onlookers to what we suspect is a crime continually perpetrated and seldom punished. In our international rage and outcry, we hope to bring our freedoms to other countries but often are dismissed as paternalistic and overbearing.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways, as Ronald has suggested, the final battle may in the end be ideological and not pragmatic.
i wish and hope that in time, we can foster a culture of humanity - together.
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ReplyDeletesau assi die ganze scheise wer ist in der lage sowas zu tun alles untermenschen die gehören alles selber mit säaure übergossen
ReplyDeletesau assi all shit who is able to do something all among people belonging everything doused himself with acid
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