5 Tips for Surviving a Kidnapping - High Risk Voyager


Posted in High Risk Travel Insurance how to survive a kidnapping, kidnap insurance cover, High Risk Voyager Travel Insurance on 3 May 2020

It's certainly something we'd all rather not think about, but however unlikely it may be, kidnappings do happen, and the chances are ever more likely in high risk locations.

High Risk Voyager Travel Insurance have put together 5 tips for surviving a kidnapping to help you prepare for the worst just in case it happens.

Avoid

Your best chance to survive an attempted kidnapping is to escape before you're whisked away and held captive.

This means you need to jump into action! Try and run away, and yell as loudly as possible to create a scene if there's any chance at all of being heard or getting other people to notice that something is wrong.

If it comes to it, don't be afraid to fight back, and take advantage of your attacker's weak points - do anything it takes to break free and escape.

In Transit

Once in transit you'll want to try and get free before you're held anywhere for longer. The first 24 hours of your kidnapping represent the best chance you have for release/ escape.

If you're in the boot of a car, try and kick out the brake lights and wave your hand out of the gap to draw attention from other cars, or look for an internal escape latch and make a break for it. You may need to wait until you feel the car stop moving before you do this.

Humanise

Once in captivity, one of the best things you can do is humanise yourself to your captor. Be compliant enough to not raise their awareness and security or antagonise them unduly.

Some people recommend talking about a wide range of topics as this is a higher chance of striking something in common with your captor, and thus hopefully more likely for them to start to relate to you and find it harder to keep you indefinitely or kill you.

Similarly, many experts recommend asking for small favours to achieve the same results, things like asking for some water or some reading material, which remind them of your humanity and also by asking/ completing favours it may strike a level of empathy.

Mental and Physical health in captivity

If release and escape isn't on the cards in the immediate future, the most important thing you can do it preserve yourself whilst in captivity.

If you have space then physical exercise will be important for you, not only to keep your mental wellbeing up, but also to keep your strength up and to stop yourself from deteriorating.

Mentally, many sources recommend keeping track of the days and passing of time (even if there is no clock, perhaps by the daylight or sounds from outside).

Keeping your brain active with mental challenges and reading material or card games, if you have access to them, also keep up social interaction as far as your situation allows - for example with fellow hostages.

Also remember to eat the food available to you, to stay as hydrated as possible, and to keep your hygiene up as best you can.

Understand your situation, captors and best chances.

Why are you there? If it's for ransom, you have a high chance of survival and release. If it's for another purpose you may have to consider the fact that release may not be imminent unless you're lucky or your measures to create good rapport have worked.

Thus, understanding your captors can be useful. Learning their habits, their routines, and weaknesses all mean that you may be more likely to get them to release you, or to figure out an escape with the highest chance of success.

Get Covered with High Risk Voyager Travel Insurance Today

So, before you head out on your trip, don't forget to buy High Risk Voyager Travel Insurance to ensure that you and your pocket are kept safe, even in unsafe environments.

Our High Risk policies even include up to £2,500 hijack, mugging Piracy and Wrongful Detention Benefit. We also offer a separate specially designed Kidnap and Ransom cover, for example if you are sending your employees to high risk areas or if you or someone else is a particularly high net worth individual, at greater risk of kidnap.

With a 24/7 emergency medical helpline, a 'One Tap Emergency Response' App, and the ability to download pre-travel country advice guides, as well as a wide range of travel cover and options for a range of eventualities, High Risk Voyager Travel Insurance can offer peace of mind and financial protection for you on your trip.

This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute advice in any way. The information provided here is correct at the time of writing however please check the latest policy wording for the latest terms, conditions and exclusions.


Other Related News Articles...

- War Breaks Out in Sudan – What Has Happened?

- Protests in Israel – What’s Happening?

- Turkey Earthquake: FCDO advising against travel.

TOP