Acid attacks rise in the UK and what you should do if you become a victim

Acid attacks have been going on for many years, it is nothing new, however the rise in this type of crime is concerning, more so in London.

Manchester so far has seen no significant increases in this type of crime and none so far have been reported here in Trafford that we are aware about, we read recently that an acid attack occurred on Aug 7 in Lymm although this has not yet been confirmed by police.

The solution in these attacks could be anything, but more likely to be a combination of household products in water, bleach and ammonia would be used.

The government has said that they are going to be changing the classification of acid throwing to that of a dangerous weapon, and a full review on new legislation is underway so to make it a criminal offence and a custodial sentence and a fine in place for those that participate in this type of criminality.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) suggested that over 400 acid attacks occurred six months up to April this year.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “Acid attacks are horrific crimes which have a devastating effect on victims, both physically and emotionally.

“It is vital that we do everything we can to prevent these sickening attacks happening in the first place.

“We must also ensure that the police and other emergency services are able to respond as effectively as possible, that sentences reflect the seriousness of the offences and victims are given the immediate support they need.”

The BMJ (British Medical Journal) have published some advice on what to do if you are a victim of an acid attack they say “The victim should be removed from ongoing exposure as soon as possible. Irrigation of the affected area with copious amounts of water is vital to remove the chemical and should be performed as soon as possible to minimise the long-term effects of scarring and need for surgical reconstruction.”

You must remove all clothing from the victim and use a huge amount of water as soon as possible, a small bottle of water is not enough, although helpful, the victim will need about 2 to 4 litres of water, do not rub eyes and ring emergency services immediately.