Dr Mohammad Jawad: Acid Attack Surgeon

Recently, I have been following the story of Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet. (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/bolshoi-artistic-director-sergei-filin-blinded-by-acid-attack-that-left-him-with-chemical-burns-8457479.html) It would appear that he has been potentially blinded and has serious burns to his face. Acid thrown in the face of a person is an horrendous act of brutality intended to cause excruciating physical and psychologically painful damage.

Sergei Filin, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet

For most of us, I would believe that our face is the source of our identity. We see it reflected at us and it is by this means that people that know us, recognize us visually. Our bank notes and coins bear the image of the monarch, not her signature. The famous and infamous are usually know to us through portraiture, be it photographic, in painting or in sculpture. Our face is who we are, and as we age, our faces change, but is still the same face. 

Katie Piper (before the acid attack)

A few years ago there was a similar attack in this country on a young model, Katie Piper, was raped by a man that she met on-line and he then arranged for someone else to throw acid in her face. This resulted in the loss of her eyelids, most of her nose and part of one ear. Her face had to be cut away in the first of almost one hundred operations. 

(Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jun/02/katie-piper-acid-attack-book)

I do not give these details out of some form of grotesque vourism. I share the reported details and photographs to shock, as I have been shocked by a recent documentary on Channel 4 here in the UK. 

The surgeon that worked with Katie was Dr Mohammad Jawad. His work has already been documented in 'Katie, My Beautiful Face'. A moving and inspiring documentary of Katie's journey which portrayed the physical and emotional scars she is dealing with on a daily basis. Fortunately, she is British and has the ability to access the services of the National Health Service and can be supported in her ongoing struggle with some of the best medical care in the world (including access to Dr Jawad and his amazing team). This is not a privilege shared by many victims throughout the world, as was highlighted in the thought provoking and shocking documentary 'Saving Face' which I watched last week and felt compelled to discuss here.

'Every year in Pakistan, over 100 people - most of them women - are known to be victimised by brutal acid attacks, while numerous other cases go unreported.

With little or no access to reconstructive surgery, survivors are physically and emotionally scarred. Many reported assailants, typically a husband or someone else close to the victim, receive minimal punishment from the state.

Dr Jawad is the surgeon responsible for treating British acid-attack victim Katie Piper - as documented in Channel 4's Bafta-nominated Katie: My Beautiful Face - and he regularly returns from his prominent London surgery to Pakistan to help the victims of such attacks.

The film follows Dr Jawad as he makes every effort to save and reconstruct the faces of two women.

Thirty-nine-year-old Zakia's husband threw acid over her after she filed for divorce. Most of the time she is too afraid to leave the house, while, at school, her daughter struggles to cope with the stigma.

As well as needing to alleviate the pain and restore functioning and features to her face, Zakia is bravely fighting for her husband to be brought to justice.

Rukhsana is a 23-year-old mother who was attacked with acid and set alight by her husband and in-laws. Rukhsana has had to reconcile with them and continue living under the same roof.

Her life becomes impossible as the family forbid her from seeing her daughter, and she seeks help.

This compelling True Stories documentary follows Zakia and Rukhsana, who are supported by NGOs such as the Acid Survivors Foundation-Pakistan and Islamic Help; sympathetic policymakers; attorney Ms Sarkar Abbass, who fights Zakia's case; and female politician Marvi Memon, who advocates for new legislation - all working to bring their assailants to justice and help these woman move on with their lives.

Saving Face takes an intimate look inside Pakistani society, illuminating two women's personal journey while showing how reformers in Pakistan are tackling this horrific problem.'

(source:http://www.channel4.com/programmes/saving-face/4od)

Acid attacks are not confined to Pakistan as can be seen from the attacks on Katie Piper and Sergei Filin, and a quick trawl though Google will show the extent to which the world is plagued with this appalling and cowardly form of revengeful punishment. And, although Sergei Filin was a victim, I believe this brutality is more often perpetrated against women with little recourse to either medical intervention, or the intervention of State Institutions. Laws are of no use when they are failing to be enforced. What is needed is a cultural change in patriarchal societies where women are viewed as a commodity freely disposed of in place of financial transactions, and then become enslaved by vicious and vindictive 'in-laws.'

I have no solution to these issues. All that I aim to do with this post is to highlight the issue and share awareness to a wider community. As I have stated before on this blog, I believe that the biggest war being fought on earth today would appear to be the subjugation of women and this is one of it's tools in that war.

Here is the list of support groups from the Channel 4 website that may be of use:

Help and Support

FEATURES

FRIDAY 11 JANUARY 2013

Karma Nirvana
Supporting victims and survivors of forced marriage and honour based abuse.
0800 5999 247 (lines open 9.30am - 5pm Monday Friday)

Islamic Help
Providing medical and surgical support to acid burns victims, as well as helping survivors to become self-sufficient and encourage community integration.

Acid Survivors Trust International ASTI
Helping acid attack victims receive medical attention, and raising awareness by working with medical NGO's in a number of countries.

Acid Survivors Foundation Pakistan
Working towards eliminating acid violence, as well as assisting survivors with medical, legal, social and economic services.

Changing Faces
Providing support to anyone with a disfigurement of the face, hands or body, as well as their families.
Adviceline: 0300 0120 275 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm)
Skin camouflage line: 0300 0120 276 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm)

Let s Face It
A support network for anyone with a facial disfigurement, as well as their families and friends.

The Katie Piper Foundation
Helping individuals with rehabilitation needs.

British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
Support information about reconstructive surgery through the NHS in the UK.

National Domestic Violence Helpline
Offering support to women who experience physical, emotional or sexual violence in the home. Helpline is a member of Language Line and can provide access to an interpreter for non-English speaking callers.
Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (lines open 24 hours)

Scottish Women s Aid
Helpline: 0800 027 1234 (lines open 24 hours)

All Wales Domestic Abuse
Helpline: 0808 80 10 800 (24 hours a day everyday)

Women s Aid Federation Northern Ireland
Helpline: 0800 917 1414 (lines open 24 hours)

Victim Supportline
Offering support information to anyone affected by any crime or violent assault, regardless of whether the crime is reported to the police.
Helpline: 0845 30 30 900 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am - 9pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am - 7pm, Bank Holidays 9am - 5pm)
Email: info@victimsupport.org.uk.

Dan's Fund for Burns
Providing advice and support.

Burn Centre Care
Offering information about rehabilitation following a severe burn.

Children's Burns Trust
Offering support and rehabilitation information to families of children following a burn or scald.

British Association of Skin Camouflage
Skilful application of skin camouflage.

Disfigurement Guidance
Online links to further information.

To learn more about the global problem of acid violence, to support survivors and to get involved, visit the Saving Face outreach website at:
Project SAAVE
'The mission of Project SAAVE (Stand Against Acid Violence) is to leverage the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary film SAVING FACE to raise greater awareness of the horrific global problem of acid violence, to spotlight the efforts of NGOs and other change agents working to eliminate it, and to highlight ways that individuals can get involved worldwide.'

Information on call charges:
0800 - Free from BT land lines. Other networks may charge and mobile costs will be incurred.
0808 - Free from BT land lines. Other networks may charge and mobile costs will be incurred.
0845 Free with BT land lines call packages, otherwise charged at 2p per minute daytime and weekend, 5p per minute evenings. Other networks may charge and mobile costs will be incurred.
0300 - Calls cost standard national rate plus a 13.1p set up charge per call from a BT landline. Calls from other networks may be higher and from mobiles will cost considerably more.
0844 - Calls from BT land lines cost up to 5p per minute and 5p per call as part of many BT call packages, otherwise a 13.1p set up charge per call will be incurred. Calls from other networks may be higher and from mobiles will cost considerably more.