Since 2010 there have been 1,800 reported acid attacks in London, with a steep 70% rise between 2015 to 2016. As the number of victims grows, data suggests Britain has the worst record in the developed world for assaults with household acids like bleach and drain cleaner. While the global trend indicates honor or revenge based attacks against women, in Britain two-thirds of victims are men. Only a quarter of recorded attacks have to lead to charges being brought, for fear of a repeated attack or a lack of trail for police to pinpoint attackers. From gang disputes to moped thieves, why has acid become the go-to weapon for young criminals in the UK?
VICE host Zing Tsjeng meets Samir Hussain, a victim of an unprovoked attack who has been left with physical and psychological scars after sulphuric acid was thrown over him outside a cinema. Zing comes face-to-face with a man who claims to have been involved in an acid attack, to discuss why he and gang-affiliated young men are using corrosive liquid over weapons like knives. Finally, Zing meets with DCI Mike West to discuss what Metropolitan Police are doing to combat the rise of this disturbing trend in the city.
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