Acid attack (vitriolage) is a brutal crime often committed against women destroying their health and severely damaging their family, social and work lives. From an Indian perspective the main reasons for acid attacks are refusal by a victim to marry the perpetrator, or rejection of relationship proposals. Irrespective of the reasons the effects are the same. The process of vitriolage involves throwing sulfuric or nitric acid, or any similarly caustic substance, onto a victim causing the skin, soft tissues and bones to dissolve. This has significant detrimental physical, social, psychological and economic effects on the victims. Forensic and medicolegal issues will be reviewed.
