Cambodia Acid Violence Initiative
Acid violence is a form of gender violence in which cheap, available acid is used as a weapon for settling interpersonal disputes and destroying victims’ lives. Since 2004, Dr. Ebby Elahi has led medical teams to train local surgeons and provide care to victims.
The plight of one Cambodian woman-survivor, Yem, and her child, Sophorn, the youngest documented survivor of acid violence, inspired us to produce an awareness-raising documentary, Stolen Faces. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, the film chronicles the medical team’s activities in Cambodia and was screened at the United Nations High-Level Segment of ECOSOC in 2005. In 2011, their story was featured at the Women in the World Summit on a panel entitled “Stealing Beauty: An Acid Violence Survivor’s Story.”
In 2011, we conducted a comparative analysis of acid violence and access to justice and released the report entitled Combating Acid Violence in Bangladesh, India, and Cambodia. This analysis greatly influenced substantive changes relating to acid violence in Cambodia on a national level.
Future initiatives include hosting a multi-disciplinary conference on combating acid violence and providing program support to prevent acid violence globally.
Related
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Virtue Foundation Returns to Cambodia
As part of a continued effort to support our work in Cambodia, Virtue Foundation returns to Phnom Penh to conduct screenings and surgeries alongside local physicians and medical staff.
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A Message from Tina Brown
Tina Brown, former Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek & The Daily Beast, discusses Virtue Foundation’s work in the areas of Acid Violence and Women Empowerment.
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Acid Violence Center of Excellence in Bangladesh
As an expert surgeon who has operated on dozens of acid attack survivors, Director of International Programming and Global Health Dr. Ebby Elahi will serve on Acid Survivors Foundation Bangladesh’s Center of Excellence Advisory Committee to study and replicate best practices in acid violence prevention and treatment. For more on…
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Virtue Foundation in-depth report cited in article on acid violence in Bangladesh
Women News Network recently posted an article on the issue of acid violence and other forms of violence against women in Bangladesh. In it, the author cites to the Virtue Foundation and partners’ report, Combating Acid Violence in Bangladesh, India and Cambodia. Read the article: http://womennewsnetwork.net/2012/07/11/bangladesh-advocacy-acid-crime/
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World Pulse: Inspired by The Women in the World Summit 2011 highlights the story of acid violence survivors, Yem Chhuon and her 6 year old daughter Sophorn.
Inspired by Women Globally There are many things i am inspired by… The sky, the sound of life and movement, color, flowers, animals, people, culture, travel, places and things. The thing that most inspires me is the VOICE and STORY of a person that is most passionate about what they…
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Newsweek and The Daily Beast Women in the World Summit features Stealing Beauty: The Devastating Impact of Acid Violence moderated by ABC News Nightline’s Cynthia McFadden
Yem Chhoun recounted when her husband’s mistress attacked her and her newborn baby with acid. Her village told her to let her daughter die, but with the help of panelist Dr. Ebby Elahi, both have recovered.
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Legal and health professionals issue first comparative study of acid violence against women in Bangladesh, India, and Cambodia
Avon Global Center and Cornell Law Clinic join with New York City Bar Association and Virtue Foundation to recommend concrete steps governments and businesses can take to combat acid violence, a horrific form of violence committed against women in many countries New York, New York. Attackers have thrown acid on…
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Combating Acid Violence in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India
Launch event: In January 2011, Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School, the Committee on International Human Rights of the New York City Bar Association, the Cornell Law School International Human Rights Clinic and Virtue Foundation released a new report that examines acid attacks in Bangladesh,…
