Tips for surviving a kidnapping include remaining calm, trying to elicit sympathy from the captor, and using keywords to attract attention. Victims should gather information about their captors and establish rapport with them to increase their chances of survival.
Kidnapping victims are people who have been taken against their will or without their consent. While preplanning doesn’t help in every case, potential kidnapping victims should know a few basic tips for surviving a kidnapping. If immediate escape is not an option, a victim should remain calm and attempt to elicit sympathy from their captor.
However, law enforcement and other experts disagree on a strategy for dealing with the kidnapping. Since all kidnapping cases and the kidnappers are different, the best thing to do is read up on the kidnapper first as best you can. After a kidnapping victim has been caught, he or she should attempt to discover the kidnapper’s intentions. She should remain calm as she internally makes a plan.
Most kidnapping victims are abducted in public. If this is the case, many people suggest causing a loud commotion to warn passers-by of your immediate danger. However, because so many people are reluctant to interfere in what may seem like a family squabble, keywords should be used at this time.
Screaming “Fire!” or “Rape!” or “I don’t know this man!” is often suggested. Waving his arms and making the fight highly visible he has been known to elicit more of a response from the close audience. If a bystander is unable to help immediately, they may be able to record a license plate or description of the kidnapper, which could later help authorities. Once the abduction has taken place, however, it is imperative that the victim remain level-headed and available.
Circumstances can be different if one is kidnapped from a private place. Some authorities suggest keeping your cool from the outset in this case. Kidnappers are more likely to act even more irrationally if a victim is blatantly antagonistic.
In non-public abductions, the victims are supposed to use the atmosphere to their advantage. A kidnapper often drives the victim from her home or building to a nearby car. If possible, the victim should take a good look at her captor’s prominent features, especially any tattoos, moles, piercings, or scars. If she is blindfolded, the victim should listen to her captor’s voice and try to hear her surroundings.
If a vehicle or building is the final destination of an abducted person, the abductee should collect information about their whereabouts. If possible, abduction victims should create a mental map of how to get there. Directions and landmarks could be helpful in case the victim can secretly call for help.
While in captivity, a victim would attempt to establish rapport with her captor. Talking about his family and personal goals can be beneficial. The more she is seen as a mate rather than an object or an adversary, the better chance she has of surviving. Victims should not mock or demean their captors.
Victims of kidnappings held for ransom should know that while lives are at risk, the kidnapper would prefer a different outcome than the victim’s death. In other cases, children may be abducted by parents who believe they deserve custody. Even those kidnappers are looking for a reward rather than murder. Kidnap victims who are taken to be raped or tortured may be dealing with kidnappers with even more serious emotional problems. It is important that in all these cases the victims try to remain patient and persevere.
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