08 May London has become the Acid Attack capital of the world
Since 2012, the amount of acid attacks in our nations capital has increased six-fold, with the current average amount of attacks reported across the country being 2 a day . The current number from the London Met from 2017 was 465 across all boroughs.
Young men are the number one victims of these attacks, with the majority of the incidents being gang related. Figures from the Met state that more than 75% of attackers are between the ages of 10 and 29 with victims being in the same age category. Londons crime differs from other countries with high amounts of attacks in this regard, as many of the attacks committed in South Asian countries are committed by men against women
These attacks are becoming so common due to the ease of obtaining the acid and the fear that the attacks induce on their victims or to rival gangs. As a result of this mass increase in attacks, MP’s are currently in the works to ban the sale of highly corrosive liquids to the under the legal age to try and fight back against the rise. This legislation is thought that it may be ineffective as common household products are used in the attacks such as drain cleaners and battery acid. The government is already considering making it illegal to purchase any substnace that can be used for such an attack with cash, making it so that people who commit these crimes can be more easily tracked and located
The London Met is currently spearheading a campaign with other emergency services to raise awareness in schools across the capital, where there already is a large presence of gang activity.
The bulk of all acid attacks are committed in North London, with the most targeted borough being Newham
The UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd has recently campaigned for a life sentences for those that are convicted for serious acid attack offences. She put forward the argument that these crimes are specifically not designed to kill, but to ruin the victim’s lives.
London MPs have encouraged emergency services to carry with them bottles of specialist fluid to treat those at the scene of an attack better, as with access to these fluids they can make a large difference in the treatment of the victims.
