Kidnapping

Risk of being kidnapped
Abduction

Nature

Abducting another person, or having abducted another person continues to hold them is kidnapping. The victim may be held for ransom or reward. They may be used as a shield or hostage. They might be held as slaves or involuntary servants. The victim may held to be terrorized or to terrorize another. They may be held so a crime can be committed or a government action prevented.

Background

Abduction of women, now considered a serious crime throughout the world is probably a survival of one of the most primitive forms of marriage, marriage by capture. At the beginning of the nineteenth century it was still in full force among some Slavs. Teutonic and Scandinavian tribes regularly resorted to forcible abduction of women for wives. As did the early Greeks and Romans. Wars were frequently carried out to capturing wives. Traces of the same custom are found in the Old Testament. Many traces of this practice are still found in the marriage rituals. In some cases the bride groom is expected to go through the motions of capturing his bride. The bride in some places hides until found by the groom. In some ceremonies the bride is expected to resist and struggle. The bride is carried over the threshold of the new household.

Incidence

Kidnapping remains a pervasive global issue, affecting both developed and developing nations. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, thousands of cases are reported annually, with hotspots in regions such as Latin America, West Africa, and South Asia. The problem spans a range of contexts, from politically motivated abductions to criminal enterprises seeking ransom, and increasingly involves vulnerable groups such as children and migrants.
In March 2023, over 30 students were abducted from a school in Kaduna State, Nigeria, by armed groups demanding ransom. This incident highlights the ongoing threat of mass kidnappings in conflict-prone regions.