What Do You Do If You Get Kidnapped?

Although it is recognized that hard-and-fast rules cannot be applied in incidents of kidnapping, the following points are worthy of special consideration:

Under all circumstances attempt to stay calm and be alert to situations that you can exploit to your advantage. Remember that the primary objective of your family and law enforcement officials will be to secure your safe return as quickly as possible.

Do not attempt to fight back or to struggle physically. No matter how reasonable your captors may appear on the surface, they cannot be trusted to behave normally and their actions may be unpredictable.

Comply with the instructions of your abductors as well as you can.

Do not discuss what action may be taken by your family, friends, or company.

Make a mental note of all movements, including time in transit, direction, distances, speeds, landmarks along the way, special odors, and distinctive sounds like bells, construction, voices, etc.

Whenever possible, take mental note of the characteristics of your abductors, their habits, surroundings, speech, mannerisms, and what contacts they make.

Generally, you cannot expect to have a good opportunity to escape. No attempt to escape should be made unless it has been carefully calculated to ensure the best possible odds for success.

Avoid making provocative remarks to your abductors. As noted, they may be unstable individuals who react irrationally.

If you have a disease or physical condition that requires treatment request special medicines or medical attention immediately.

Try to establish some kind of rapport with your captors.

Maintain your cool, use your head and you will get out of this terrible situation. The odds are very long that this will ever happen to you, but you want to be prepared in the event that it does.