zReportage.com Story of the Week # 467 - Acid Attack - Launched April 2, 2013 - Acid violence is a vicious and damaging form of assault in Bangladesh where acid is thrown in people's faces - the overwhelming majority of the victims are women. These attacks are often the result of family and land dispute, dowry demands or a desire for revenge. The victims are attacked in some cases because a young girl or women has spurned the sexual advances of a male or either she or her parents have rejected a proposal of marriage. The scars left by acid are not just skin deep. In addition to psychological trauma, survivors face social isolation that further damages self-esteem and seriously undermines their professional and personal futures. Globally, at least 1500 people in 20 countries are attacked in this way yearly, 80% of whom are female and many under 18 years of age.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 14, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 13, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 14, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - RAJANI, 35, is one of the first documented cases to be recorded by Bangladeshi police in 1986. She had acid thrown at her by her ex-husband.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 13, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 13, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - ADAN, 10, was a victim of an acid attack because of a land dispute between two families. He was a scapegoat for revenge over a small partition of his family's land that was resting on the opposition's land.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 14, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - MAANYATHA, 28, had acid thrown at her by her husband because she wanted to find work and help with the household finances.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 13, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 15, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - HALA, 16, had acid thrown at her by her fiance because she was talking to a male friend.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 13, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - JABA, 14 years old - Acid was thrown at her by a potential suitor because she refused his marriage proposal.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 14, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 15, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - A woman who was a victim in an acid attack and who did not want to be identified by name.
© Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA

Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. March 17, 2013 - Narayanganj, Bangladesh - SHRUTI, 24, had acid thrown into her face by her maid as an act of jealousy when her fiance proposed to her.
© Bangladesh Acid Attacks, where acid is thrown in faces of victims, are predominantly woman under 18. © Evi Zoupanos/zReportage/ZUMA