The UK’s new voluntary code for retailers not to sell under-18s products corrosive enough for use in an acid attack (Report, theguardian.com, 7 January) is an encouraging preparatory step towards legislation. ActionAid works with women who have survived acid attacks in Bangladesh, and we know that for legislation to stop attacks it must be supported by change to the patriarchal attitudes inspiring them.

In 2002, the Bangladeshi government restricted the import and sale of acid in open markets, setting up special courts to deal with cases. ActionAid’s work contributed significantly to this, but the laws took years to reduce attacks.

In every country, men and boys are the typical perpetrators of acid attacks, and seek to address perceived wrongs – largely based on the notion of ownership of women’s bodies and on the control of women’s actions. While mostly men have been the targets in the UK, elsewhere it is overwhelmingly women. In a patriarchal society, destroying a woman’s appearance can destroy her access to marriage, resources, work opportunities and education. Last autumn, some of the Bangladeshi women survivors we work with came to London to participate in a fashion show, powerfully rejecting the shame that attacks are intended to deliver. It was the result of years of work done at grassroots level, in partnership with organisations like ours, to change societal norms that permit men and boys to think that this is acceptable behaviour.

Danielle Spencer

Senior technical adviser, violence against women and girls, ActionAid

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