A Demographic Study on Acid Assault, Done at Mutahari Burn Center during a Six years Period

Introduction & Acid assault is one of the most brutal crimes. This crime is not meant to kill but to punish the victim or to destroy the victim’s social life. This violent act usually occurs in developing countries. The aim of our study was to assess the place and intensity of burns and their abundance from viewpoint of age, sex, material status and the relation between the injured and the assailant. From May 2004 to October 2010 the charts of victims of acid violence, who were referred to the Motahari Burn Center, were reviewed. Over this 6-year period, 59 patients were included in this retrospective study. The reviewed cases were 51% male and 49% female. The face and hands were the most commonly injured areas, and the most common assailant was a close family member. 1. Acid assault is still a major social problem in our country. 2. The abundance of this problem is the same for men and women. 3. It is very abundant among family members. 4. Perhaps the limitation of access to dangerous materials can reduce the rate of this terrific crime.