Report on the Escalation of Corrosive Substance Attacks in the UK and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

A recent analysis of police data from across the United Kingdom reveals a significant and concerning increase in physical attacks involving corrosive substances. The findings, compiled by the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI), highlight not only a rise in the frequency of these attacks but also a notable shift in victim demographics and a substantial economic burden. This report examines these trends through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating how this form of violence undermines progress towards gender equality, good health, reduced inequalities, and peaceful societies.

Key Findings and Statistics (2024)

Incidence and Regional Disparities

The data indicates a clear escalation in the use of corrosive substances as weapons, with specific regions showing disproportionately high rates of violence. This trend poses a direct challenge to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), which aims to make human settlements safe and inclusive, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which seeks to reduce all forms of violence.

• A total of 498 physical attacks involving corrosives were recorded in 2024, representing a 10% increase from the 454 incidents in 2023.
• The Northumbria Police region recorded 24% of all attacks, despite accounting for only 2% of the UK population.
• The West Midlands region experienced an 82% increase in physical attacks between 2023 and 2024.
• Attacks are frequently concentrated in areas impacted by economic deprivation and high levels of poverty.

Victim Demographics and Gender-Based Violence

The data reveals a disturbing trend regarding female victims, positioning acid violence as a critical issue for SDG 5 (Gender Equality), which targets the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. The use of corrosive substances, both in physical attacks and threats, is increasingly being used as a tool of gender-based violence and coercion.

• Women and girls now account for one-third of all victims of physical acid attacks.
• In cases where gender data was available, 74 out of 224 victims (33%) were female.
• Women constituted 62% of victims in incidents involving the threat of an acid attack, often used alongside other serious crimes like rape or robbery.

Economic and Health Consequences

The severe and lasting impact of these attacks on victims imposes a considerable cost on public health services and the wider economy. This directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by inflicting severe physical and psychological trauma that requires extensive, long-term care.

• A single attack costs an average of £63,000 in medical and psychological support.
• The total estimated cost of these attacks to the UK economy in 2024 is approximately £31 million.
• Medical experts, such as Professor Francisco C Figueiredo of Newcastle University, report that these attacks can cause substantial eye damage, leading to significant visual loss or blindness, with ammonia being a commonly used and highly damaging substance.

Analysis of Contributing Factors and SDG Linkages

Socio-Economic Inequality and Regulatory Gaps

Experts link the prevalence of acid attacks to systemic issues of inequality and inadequate regulation. This analysis underscores the interconnectedness of the SDGs, where failure to address SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) contributes to security failures under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

1. Socio-Economic Deprivation (SDG 10): Jaf Shah, Executive Director at ASTI, notes that tackling this violence requires addressing “the wider challenges of socio-economic inequality, deprivation, and gang involvement.” The concentration of attacks in deprived areas supports this conclusion.
2. Access to Corrosive Substances (SDG 16): The ease with which offenders can obtain corrosive materials, particularly from online retailers, highlights a significant regulatory failure. This lack of control undermines the goal of building effective and accountable institutions capable of ensuring public safety.

Expert Recommendations for an SDG-Informed Response

Call for Strengthened Regulation and Prevention

To effectively combat this form of violence and advance the goals of SDG 16, experts are calling for a multi-pronged approach focused on prevention and stricter controls.

• Implement stricter controls on the sale of corrosive substances, with a particular focus on online retailers.
• Invest in prevention programmes to stop the weaponisation of corrosive materials.
• Improve reporting mechanisms to better track and respond to incidents.
• Address the root causes of violence by tackling socio-economic inequality and gang involvement.

A Public Health Approach to Elimination

Professor Figueiredo advocates for reframing the issue as a public health crisis, requiring a collaborative, goal-oriented strategy aligned with SDG 3 and SDG 16.

• Establish a strong partnership between multiple public health agencies.
• Develop a formal elimination programme with clear, measurable targets.
• Recognise that eliminating corrosive substance attacks is an achievable public health goal that contributes to creating safer, healthier, and more just societies.

Analysis of SDGs in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article directly addresses gender-based violence by highlighting that “women and girls now accounting for a third of all victims” of physical acid attacks. It further specifies that “women made up 62 per cent of victims when there had been a threat of an acid attack made against them,” indicating that women are disproportionately targeted with this form of intimidation and violence.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on the “alarming rise in acid attacks” and different forms of violence. The data on “498 physical attacks involving corrosives” and the call for “stricter controls on sales” and a “strong partnership between multiple public health agencies” point to the need to reduce violence and strengthen institutions to ensure public safety and justice.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article details the severe health consequences of acid attacks, noting they have “devastating impacts on the victims.” It mentions the need for extensive “medical and psychological support” and the risk of “significant visual loss/blindness.” The high financial cost of healthcare, stated as “£63,000 in medical and psychological support” per attack, also relates to ensuring access to affordable health services.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article establishes a clear link between acid violence and socio-economic inequality. It states that tackling the issue means “addressing the wider challenges of socio-economic inequality, deprivation” and that attacks “frequently occur in areas that have been impacted by economic deprivation and high levels of poverty.” The disproportionate number of attacks in Northumbria, a region with high deprivation, further supports this connection.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres.

   This target is directly relevant as the article provides specific data on violence against women and girls. It reports that “74 victims out of 224 physical attacks, where gender data was provided, were female” and that women constitute 62% of victims of threats involving corrosive substances, which are used as “a tool of coercion or intimidation alongside other serious crimes such as rape or robbery.”

2. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

   The article’s core focus is the increase in a specific form of violence. The data showing a “10 per cent increase from the 454 incidents reported in 2023” to 498 in 2024 directly relates to the goal of reducing violence. The call to “make elimination of corrosive substance attack our goal” aligns perfectly with this target.

3. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

   The article highlights the significant financial burden of healthcare resulting from these attacks, stating an average cost of “£63,000 in medical and psychological support” per incident. This underscores the challenge of providing comprehensive and affordable care for victims, which is the essence of Target 3.8.

4. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of…economic or other status.

   This target is relevant because the article links the prevalence of acid attacks to inequality. The finding that attacks are concentrated in “deprived areas” and regions with “high levels of poverty” shows that violence is a barrier to the safety and inclusion of people in economically disadvantaged communities.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for Target 5.2:

  The article provides data that can be used as direct indicators, such as the proportion of female victims of physical acid attacks (stated as “a third of all victims”) and the proportion of female victims of threats of acid attacks (62%).

• Indicators for Target 16.1:

  Several indicators are mentioned: the total number of physical attacks involving corrosives (498 in 2024), the annual percentage change in the number of attacks (a 10% increase from 2023), and the geographic distribution of attacks (24% of all attacks recorded in the Northumbria region).

• Indicators for Target 3.8:

  The article implies indicators related to the health and economic impact of attacks, including the average cost of medical and psychological support per victim (£63,000) and the incidence of severe health outcomes, such as “significant visual loss/blindness.”

• Indicators for Target 10.2:

  An implied indicator is the correlation between the incidence of acid attacks and the level of socio-economic deprivation of an area. The article supports this by noting that “attacks frequently occur in areas that have been impacted by economic deprivation and high levels of poverty” and highlighting the high concentration of attacks in specific deprived regions like Northumbria and the West Midlands.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: independent.co.uk