Acid Attack Statistics by Country 2025

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Acid Attacks

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom

710

India Flag

India

614

Bangladesh Flag

Bangladesh

400

Uganda Flag

Uganda

382

Colombia Flag

Colombia

100

Country
Acid Attacks↓
Data Interval
Typically Associated WAcid Assault
Additional Details
United Kingdom7102022
  • The UK currently has the highest number of recorded attacks in the world, with a 69% rise in the number of attacks in 2022. Acid attacks peaked in 2017, with 941 recorded cases. The figures then steadily dropped to reach 421 in 2021. This can be partly attributed to the Offensive Weapons Act coming into effect and the introduction of stricter controls on the availability of acid and other corrosive substances, alongside increased public awareness around the repercussions that perpetrators face if caught.
  • However, 2022 saw 710 cases reported to the police. Acid attacks in the UK have been historically linked with gang violence, with most victims being male, but the trend has now reversed, with the number of female victims surpassing male victims for the first time. This signals a rise in violence against women and girls. On a regional level, the highest number of attacks can be seen in Northumbria, which is followed by London.
India614Estimated annual
  • There were 228 acid attacks reported in the country in 2018, but it is very likely that a large number of attacks were not reported and the actual number of attacks was far higher (228-1000). Research indicates that the majority of victims are women and girls.
Bangladesh4002002
  • Attacks in Bangladesh peaked at around 400 in 2002. Almost 70% of victims are women and girls. A study of 90 victims found that 80% of the attacks occurred in the victims homes. Perpetrators are almost always men.
Uganda3821985-2011
  • There were 382 victims of acid violence in Uganda between 1985 and May 2011. Of the 382 cases, the majority (58%) were recorded in the Central region of Uganda.
Colombia100Estimated annual
  • Colombia has approximately 100 recorded attacks a year and with a population of around 48 million this makes attacks in Colombia one of the highest per capita.
Pakistan80Estimated annual
  • Research conducted by the Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan (a not-for-profit) showed a strong correlation between industry and the prevalence of acid attacks. The highest number of attacks were in the southern Punjab region, also known as the “cotton belt”.
Vietnam50Estimated annual
South Africa50Estimated annual
Afghanistan50Estimated annual
Kenya40Estimated annual
Cambodia402000
  • There was a sharp increase in number of recorded attacks in 2000 (40 attacks). Numbers of recorded attacks have now declined to single figures.
Nepal30Estimated annual
Nigeria25Estimated annual
China20Estimated annual
United States20Estimated annual
Iran20Estimated annual
Laos20Estimated annual
Mexico15Estimated annual
Indonesia10Estimated annual
Russia10Estimated annual
Philippines10Estimated annual
Thailand10Estimated annual
France10Estimated annual
Australia10Estimated annual
Germany5Estimated annual
Tanzania5Estimated annual
Myanmar5Estimated annual
Sri Lanka5Estimated annual
Belgium5Estimated annual
Israel5Estimated annual
Italy4Estimated annual
Sweden3Estimated annual
Hong Kong3Estimated annual
  • In 2008, more than 100 people were injured in acid attacks in Hong Kong.
Ireland3Estimated annual
Taiwan2Estimated annual
Bulgaria2Estimated annual
Jamaica2Estimated annual
Gabon2Estimated annual
  • “Typically Associated with Acid Assault” refers to countries where such violent incidents are more commonly reported.
  • Unless otherwise indicated, data provide estimated annual numbers of acid attacks by country. The specific year to which each estimate originally applied is often unspecified.
  • Given the variability in reporting (many countries do not specifically track acid attacks) and the likelihood of underreporting, data should be interpreted with caution.

You probably have a visceral reaction to the thought of an acid attack, but it’s alarming just how common these vicious attacks are in some countries. So where are these attacks more likely to happen, who is affected most often, and which countries are at the most risk? We’re sharing acid attack statistics by country below.

Acid Attack Statistics by Country

The most recent annual acid attack statistics for some countries is from 2018. We’ve noted the date of these statistics below.

  • United Kingdom: 501 acid attacks (ASTI, 2018); 123 in London (Statista, 2019)
  • India: 228-1,000 acid attacks (ASTI, 2018)
  • Colombia: 100 acid attacks (ASTI, 2018)
  • Bangladesh: 91 acid attacks (ASF, 2011)
  • Pakistan: 80 acid attacks; 85% in Punjab (ASTI, 2018)
  • Uganda: 35 acid attacks (ASTI, 2018)
  • Cambodia: >10 acid attacks (ASTI, 2018)

Overall, there were somewhere between 1,040 and 1,817 acid attacks reported from countries around the world. This number is disturbing, but on the decline. The United Kingdom saw the most acid attacks between 2011-2016 in London, followed by Northumbria and Cambridgeshire. India’s rising number of acid attacks is believed to be vastly underreported. While 2018 statistics showed 228 incidents, researchers believe there were more than 1,000. Colombia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Cambodia have seen steep declines in the number of attacks. This may be due to harsher sentencing and punishment for perpetrators.

Acid Attack Statistics by Gender

The Acid Survivors Trust International found that around 80% of acid attack victims are women and most of these attacks are perpetrated by men in domestic violence situations. The gender statistics of these attacks differ by country, however, and some regions of the world see more attacks on men than women. From 2011-2016, the United Kingdom saw more than twice as many acid attacks on men than women. In Africa, the most recent statistics show that 43-60% of acid attacks were on men. Cambodia’s statistics show roughly 50% of acid attack victims were male. India and Colombia’s statistics are very different and historically, most attacks there are on women and girls. The availability of corrosive liquids like acid and kerosene make these substances very easy for perpetrators to access and use against victims.

Organizations, like Acid Survivors Trust International, that focus on lowering the number of acid attacks around the world have lobbied for stricter purchasing rules and legislation that makes punishment harsher for attacks using acid or similar substances.