Swathed with bandages, their skin criss-crossed with scars and their facial features barely recognisable, these are the brave women living with the horrific injuries caused by brutal acid attacks.
Captured in a set of harrowing images, the women from around the world have spoken candidly about coming to terms with their life-changing injuries.
German photographer Ann-Christine Woehrl travelled through Asia and Africa in a bid to document the daily lives of the women adapting to their physical and mental scars.
The powerful images are set to feature in a new exhibition, part of a project called IN/VISIBLE on behalf of a charity called A.S.T.i who work with acid attack survivors from around the world.
On January 3, 2005, Sokneang, 33 years old was attacked with acid while watching TV in her home in Preah Vihear, Cambodia. The perpetrator was a woman who was jealous of Sokneang’s close relationship with her husband. Sokneang received serious burns to the face and left side of her body
The brave women featured in the images have been attacked by flame and acid burns in Bangladesh, Uganda, Cambodia, Pakistan, Nepal and India – with many admitting to attempting suicide.
These countries are where these types of attacks are used as a weapon to destroy lives and where the number of incidents is alarmingly high and leave the victims visibly disfigured – hence become invisible for their society.
The number of incidents is alarmingly high, yet many cases go unreported. These women who burdened such attacks have lost their physical appearance, which is only mirroring their deep emotional scars.
The exhibition will include over 60 reportage photographs, plus several striking portraits, that capture survivors in their daily lives.
A neighbour wanted to marry Makima, from Kolkata, India, but she refused the proposal. While Makima was sleeping at night, his mother came over to her house and poured acid into Makima’s face. The perpetrator’s family paid Makima a compensation so that she would drop the charge. It is Makima’s dream to become a police officer to fight for more justice
Chantheoun, 38, from Kampong Speu, Cambodia, was attacked by the wife of a man with whom she had an affair. She said: ‘The woman and three of her relatives drove past me on two motorbikes and threw two litres of acid on me. The man I had had the affair with came to visit me in hospital. He also offered some financial support to my mother about 100 dollars for every visit during the first two or three months. After a while he stopped visiting because he was afraid of his wife’
As Sidra was staying overnight at a friend’s house in 2011, she woke up in the night when her friend’s brother tried to molest her. The boy’s mother was afraid that Sidra, from Lahore, Pakistan, would cause a scandal and told her son to throw acid on the 15-year-old girl. The attack left her nearly blind. The perpetrator was sentenced to 25 and his mother to three years in jail
Flavia, 29, from Kampala, Uganda, said: ‘I was attacked in 2009 when I was in my second year of university. I was the first person to come home one night. I heard somebody behind me. As I turned around, someone splashed acid in my face and ran off. I did not know what it was. It began to sting and hurt. I started crying, running around, taking off my clothes. Then I fell over, but I forced myself to get up and get help. I ran to the shop next door’
Recalling her harrowing experience, Flavia (centre) added: ‘People kept crowding around me. Then a good family friend saw me and drove me to hospital. It only slowly sank in that I was really badly off. I was angry, sad, depressed. I was crying all the time. I missed what I had looked like. I did not want to accept that I would look like this for the rest of my life’
Farida, 40, from Manikgang in Bangladesh was attacked by her husband after she threatened to leave him over his drug and gambling habit. She recalled: ‘I was screaming so loudly that the neighbours came running over. They had to break open the door. It was dark inside and all they could see was a black mark on the bed. So their first thought was that my husband had chopped off my head. But then my son, he was five years old, told them that I was on the floor’
Farida (pictured with her niece) added: ‘My husband was jailed for twelve years. When he was released, he threatened to attack me again. But my neighbours drove him away and I have not seen him since’
Three years ago, when she was 16, Christine, from Uganda, was attacked by the ex-girlfriend of her boyfriend Moses. Moses stood by her and today they have a little daughter. Her perpetrator was sentenced to eight years in prison. Christine stays in the house most of the time. She does not like to show herself in public
Nusrat, 32, from Muzzafargarh in Pakistan, was attacked by her husband and brother-in-law: in 2009. She said: ‘I was screaming so much that people came over. My brother-in-law told them, that I had thrown acid on myself. My neighbours took me to hospital.When I was in hospital my photo was printed in the papers. My face was badly disfigured’
Charity ASTi works to support thousands of survivors globally and raise awareness of acid violence. Part of its work is helping to train hundreds of local surgeons in many countries including Pakistan, Nepal, India, and Uganda, who in turn have treated thousands of survivors.
A.S.T.i also focuses on systemic change, changing laws and changing attitudes which to date has resulted in the change of laws in Colombia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda and Cambodia and has seen acid violence decrease significantly in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Cambodia.
The Leydon Gallery will be exhibiting the IN/VISIBLE project by Ann-Christine Woehrl from Wednesday, September 13th to Saturday, September 16th.