Around the world 1,500 people report acid attacks each year, though there are many more unreported cases. Most of the victims are women who tend to be targeted for defying a man, in ways like getting an education, starting a job, and really “any number of other actions that should be regarded as a basic human right”. Acid attacks are incredibly painful, leaving scars that last for life. Many victims are excluded from their societies following their attacks, and few assailants are ever punished. Some of these victims have come together to provide a community of support for each other by forming a group called Make Love Not Scars.
Make Love Not Scars is a community center in India trying to spread awareness about acid attacks by telling what happened to the women who have been affected. By coming together to tell their stories, these women find a community of support with each other. Many of the world’s acid attacks occur in India, and in response there has been a growing movement to stop these attacks and help victims rehabilitate and rejoin society. Photographer Lela Edgar traveled to India in order to digitally capture the stories of some acid attack victims. Here are some brief insights into Lela’s experience talking with acid attack victims.
Several women came together to create a fashion week where acid attack victims were runway models, helping to decrease the stigma many victims face. One victim has become part of Viva N Diva Couture known as the Face of Courage. She has many makeup ads that compare makeup to acid attacks. One of her ads is pictured here and as the thumbnail for the article.
Other women focus on spreading awareness of acid attacks. By coming together as a community, these women’s voices become louder and therefore have a greater impact on their communities and hopefully the world.