Derbyshire sees major spike in “appalling” acid attacks – costing millions of pounds in medical support and police funds

New data released today by the Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) has revealed a significant rise in the number of violent acid attacks across Derbyshire.

The charity submitted a Freedom of Information request to all police forces in the East Midlands. In Derbyshire, there were 33 recorded acid attacks in 2022 – with none at all being reported in 2021. Across the East Midlands, acid attack offences increased by 139% between 2021 and 2022.

Further research commissioned by ASTI and conducted by Frontier Economics has shown that a single acid attack costs £63,000. This figure includes the medical and psychosocial support that victims require, in addition to the costs to the police, the judicial and penal systems.

The cost of acid attacks in Derbyshire alone in 2022, according to this research, will have reached just over £2 million.

In response to the growing number of attacks, ASTI is launching Project Irreversible, a prevention initiative which will educate young people in Derbyshire and beyond on the risks and consequences of acid violence – on both victims and perpetrators. The project will be delivered through a series of workshops with young people at risk, and with the help of a digital graphic novel created by ASTI. The novel tells three stories centred around acid attacks and focuses largely on perpetrators.

Jaf Shah, Executive Director at ASTI, said: “The significant rise in the number of acid attacks in the East Midlands is concerning and the need for prevention is greater than ever. We know that the best way to end acid violence is to prevent it from happening in the first place, by addressing its root causes. This is where Project Irreversible steps in, by educating and engaging with young people at risk, to ensure that they understand the risks and consequences of acid attacks.

“Acid attacks are also linked to deprivation and our hope is that Project Irreversible will be part of a wider public health approach to tackling all forms of serious violence. The Government needs to take urgent action to address the wider societal issues which are contributing to an escalation of violence, and acid attacks in particular.”

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Deputy assistant commissioner Alexis Boon QPM, National Police Chiefs' Council lead for corrosive substances, said: “The use of corrosive substances to commit crime devastates lives, often inflicting serious injuries and causing psychological trauma to survivors that will last a lifetime. Through education, we need to make sure people understand the appalling consequences of such crimes, to those subject to such attacks, their families, and the perpetrator themselves, in order to prevent these crimes happening in the first place.

“The Irreversible graphic novel and toolkit provide thoughtful insight into the nature of these crimes, and I hope will make people think carefully about the impact and devastating harm that can be caused, ultimately deterring individuals from committing these offences in the first place.”