Kidnapping in Foreign Countries The Importance of Being Aware while you Travel!

Top 10 Threat Areas 2013 Source: Red24 crisis management assistance company 1. Afghanistan: Around 950 kidnappings for ransom per year 2. Somalia: The offshore threat is well established; 24 vessels were seized in 2011 with over 400 hostages taken (and 265 still held captive). 3. Iraq: No official figures are available for 2011, but red24’s anecdotal evidence suggests the risks remain high. (criminal, terrorist and politically- motivated parties all carrying out kidnappings).

Top 10 Threat Areas Nigeria: The country records well in excess of 1,000 kidnappings for ransom a year. 5. Pakistan: Official statistics reveal over 15,000 kidnappings a year and the true number is likely to be higher due to underreporting. 6. Yemen: Over 200 foreign nationals have been kidnapped over the past 20 years. 7. Venezuela: Official statistics revealed over 1,000 kidnappings for ransom in the first ten months of 2011, and the country has one of the highest per capita rates of abduction in the world.

Top 10 Threat Areas Mexico: Official statistics for 2011 are likely to reveal over 2,000 kidnappings for ransom. The actual number is far higher - Mexican NGO, Consejo para la Ley y los Derechos Humanos (CLDH) reported that its statistics revealed 17,889 kidnaps. 9. Haiti: Incident numbers now in the low hundreds, which is a significant decline on 2006 when some 720 incidents were recorded. Per capita abduction rates are second only to Venezuela. 10. Colombia: Despite a significant reduction in incidents over the past ten years, incident numbers in recent years are still high with 258 kidnappings recorded by the authorities in 2011.

World Map of Dangerous Places warnings/

Egypt Kidnapped Victims Released (June 2012) Two American tourists who were kidnapped in Egypt's Sinai region have been released unharmed gypt-americans-kidnapped/index.html

Australian Tourist Kidnapped in Ecuador (October 2012) Two tourists, freed after being kidnapped in north-eastern Ecuador, have recalled their ordeal

Reasons for Kidnapping? Ransom Political elements or demands Pirates

Terrorists Terrorist groups often target foreigners They have killed their kidnap victims when their demands were not met Foreign employees, particularly those in the oil and mining sectors, aid and humanitarian workers, journalists, tourists and expatriates are regularly targeted. Why?

Pirates! Pirates have kidnapped hundreds of people, usually holding them for ransom Pirates have attacked all forms of shipping, including commercial vessels, pleasure craft (such as yachts) and luxury cruise liners.

Strategies to Stay Safe Use your common sense. If there is a war and political unrest, don’t go there! Find out about the local political situation of the country you want to go to, either through the Foreign Office (best) or the Internet (okay). Make sure you have the most recent guide to tell you what's going on in the country concerned. Don’t walk the streets wearing fancy jewelry or clothing – dress appropriately!

More Tips If living somewhere high-risk like Mexico City or Medellin, change your route into town on a regular basis so that your movements becomes that extra bit unpredictable and you become harder to apprehend. If you’re passing through a country that’s experiencing civil war or is notorious for bandits, travel only by day and preferably in company.

Oh no, I’ve been kidnapped! What do I do? Try to establish some kind of rapport with your captors. Avoid political dialogues, but listen attentively to their point of view. Plan on a lengthy stay, and determine to keep track of the passage of time. Maintain your dignity and self-respect at all times. Manage your time by setting up schedules for simple tasks, exercises, daydreaming, housekeeping.

More Tips Build relations with fellow captives and with the terrorists. Maintain your physical and mental health Eat food provided without complaint; keep up your strength. Request medical treatment or special medicines if required. Keep your mind active; read anything available. Write, even if you are not allowed to retain your writings. Take note of the characteristics of your captors and surroundings: their habits, speech, contacts; exterior noises (typical of city or country); and other distinctive sounds.

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