Disturbing scenes play out on Coronation Street this week, with a storyline about acid attacks. Viewers have seen what Daisy Midgley (played by Charlotte Jordan) initially dismissed as a harmless crush, emerge as something more sinister after obsessive stalker Justin (Andrew Still) broke into her house. Despite her rejections, the stalking continued, forcing Daisy to seek a Stalking Protection Order which was ultimately denied. Now, as Daisy prepares to wed fiancé Daniel, Justin is planning to target her in an acid attack. Charlotte, who did lots of research before filming the storyline, told Closer, “She’s trying to stop Justin from making her life miserable. But nothing seems to be working because the law is not really on her side. So I think it’s good that this story has shown that and, hopefully, some changes can be made because it’s really traumatic for women who go through this.”
According to recent figures, acid attacks are on the rise in London. In 2022 there were at least 88 attacks recorded in the capital, rising from the 68 recorded in 2021. Action Aid say that most survivors of acid attacks globally are women and girls, listing common reasons for attacks as “refusal of marriage and sexual rejection of men”. Closer speaks to Adele Bellis, who survived an acid attack ordered by her ex-partner…
Adele Bellis, 31, from Lowestoft, Suffolk, says, “I’m glad to see that Coronation Street are covering such an important topic – it’s essential to raise awareness.
“Acid attacks are often the culmination of a long campaign of abuse. I was 16 and naive when my relationship with Anthony Riley began. Looking back, the warning signs were there, but I didn’t have the life experience to identify them. At first, he was possessive and isolated me from friends, but I thought that was what a normal relationship looked like.
“Then he started to dig away at my self confidence. He smashed my hair dryer and crushed my make-up, telling me, ‘Nobody will want you if you aren’t dolled up.’
