It's becoming all too common a practice now for culturally and religiously misogynist men to use acid as a way to punish someone for violating some twisted form of "honor." And these attacks are on the rise:
In parts of the developing world – particularly south-east Asia, the south Asian subcontinent and east Africa – acid attacks are common. The Taliban and fellow extremists have frequently resorted to throwing acid in women's faces for even small transgressions, such as daring to go out unveiled. But there are concerns that such attacks may also be on the increase in the UK.
The article I'm citing details the circumstances that led to a man being accosted by the family of a woman he was simply hanging out with, not even having a sexual relationship with. For some reason that's tough for civilized individuals to understand, this left a stain on the family's honor:
When Awais Akram answered his mobile to Sadia Khatoon, a 24-year-old married woman whom he had met on Facebook and had recently started a physical, but not sexual, relationship with, he had little idea of the fate that was about to befall him.
Mrs Khatoon insisted they meet outside his flat in Leytonstone, east London, but as Mr Akram stepped out into the summer sunshine his lover was nowhere to be seen. Instead he was confronted by three masked men wearing gloves, one of whom was carrying a bottle of "Give It One Shot" drain cleaner.
The men, who included Mrs Khatoon's brother Mohammed Vakas, had come to wipe off what they believed was a stain on their family's "izzat" (honour). Beating and stabbing Mr Akram was not enough. As he lay bleeding on the floor, Vakas stepped over his victim and poured the entire bottle of drain cleaner over Mr Akram's face and body.
This is why we see Western countries (and Australia, which is 'Western' in culture if not location) scrambling to clamp down on the rise of such cultures within their borders. Be it banning the imprisonment of women in misogynist garments, or banning architecture that screams religious superiority, many countries are simply saying that enough is enough and that such cultures are incompatible with Western society.
Liberals, conservatives, and many unaffiliated with any political party are standing together in these efforts.