However, in countries like: Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Gaza, etc.. when a woman rejects a man or offends him in some way, the man can have scorn that is beyond the furry of any hell.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coated_abrasive/365662063/

.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coated_abrasive/365662062/

From 2002 through 2007, there were 1,428 cases where a man threw acid at a woman. Keep in mind this is just the number of reported cases, not a representation of the number of actual incidences. The reasons for the attacks are anything from refusal of sexual advances, revenge, refusal of marriage, dowry disputes, “dishonor” or “disrespect,” to just a woman being dressed immodestly. The result is anything but mild. Just one kilo of acid is enough to disfigure and debilitate the woman for life. Most often the acid is thrown in the woman’s face; literally it melts the skin, dissolves the bone, damages the esophagus and larynx, and dissolves the eyes. When the woman tries to rub her acid soaked face, the acid then eats away at her fingers, hands, arms, and anything else that it touches.

This form of violent attack has been documented since the early 1980’s, but it wasn’t until 2002 that laws were introduced in Bangladesh to control the sale of acid and punish acid throwers with death. Pakistan and Iran law, states that the acid thrower must suffer the same fate as the victim. In other words, drops of acid are placed in the acid throwers eyes. However, of the 1,428 cases, only 11 have been actually sentenced to death. Only 89 attackers actually served time. Most of the victims drop the charges after threats to their families and children. Others opt to take a monetary payment “blood money” instead. But, many do not even report the attack because of the corruption is many of the governments where these attacks occur.

One Islamic woman appears to be demanding the “eye for an eye” approach. Ameneh Bahrami, was a beautiful 24 year old Iranian electronics student. A nineteen year old man had taken a seat beside her in a college class. He brushed up against her. She moved away, but he followed and brushed up against her again. After several times of this, she stood up and yelled for him to stop. For the next two years, the rejected suitor followed her, harassed her, threatened to kill her, and even demanded she marry him. In 2004, she was walking to a bus stop and noticed someone walking closely behind her. When she turned around, the rejected suitor threw acid in her face. She was blinded and severely disfigured by the acid. She stated to CNN: “I do not want to blind him for revenge.” “I’m doing this to prevent it from happening to someone else.” The attacker was convicted of his crime in 2005. Thus far, all his appeals have been denied. Ameneh is refusing her attackers offers for “blood money,” despite her exorbitant amount of medical bills.

There are thousands of these acid horror stories in world news, but Amenehs’ story has become an overnight blog hot topic. Millions of people are criticizing Ameneh by saying things like “she lacks compassion” and “she is just seeking revenge.” Many people worldwide feel that an “eye for an eye” is a human rights issue. It’s my personal opinion that rapists, murderers, and people that disfigure someone the way Ameneh was disfigured…. forfeited their human rights when they themselves were inhumane enough to commit such crimes. I just wonder where these human rights activist were when over 1400 women were having acid thrown on them? Maybe, we should worry more about the victims and potential victims human rights before we fret over the human rights of criminals.