Acid violence is the deliberate use of acid to attack another human being. The victims of acid violence are overwhelmingly women and children, and attackers often target the head and face in order to maim, disfigure and blind. Acid has a devastating effect on the human body, often permanently blinding the victim and denying them the use of their hands. 

ASTI is a UK registered charity (no. 1079290) and the only international organisation whose sole purpose is to end acid violence. ASTI was founded in 2002 and now works with a network of six Acid Survivors Foundations in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Uganda that it has helped to form. ASTI has helped provide medical expertise and training to our partners, raised valuable funds to support survivors of acid attacks and helped change laws. A key role for ASTI is to raise awareness of acid violence to an international audience so that increased pressure can be applied to governments to introduce stricter controls on the sale and purchase of acid. At present a litre of acid can be bought over a shop counter for as little as 10 pence. 

ASTI’s goal is to eradicate acid and burns violence and to ensure that survivors live with dignity and without fear. Our aim is a 90% reduction in acid violence by 2030.