What Can We Do to Help the Hostage?

If you are not a family member of the hostage: notify the family or next of kin immediately.

If you are a family member, you should inform the police, the relevant government department (e.g. Foreign Office Consular Directorate (Special Cases Unit) in the UK) and the hostageā€™s employers, if they have not already been in contact with you.

If you are the employer: notify the family immediately and also the relevant police or government body.

Offer your support to those affected by the kidnap including the family, close friends and colleagues, but do not talk about the incident to others outside of this circle as this could jeopardise the hostageā€™s safety.

Our approach to advocacy

We share our in-depth knowledge and learning with governments and employers to improve understanding around the plight of hostages’ families and returning hostages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kidnapping is a low-frequency, high-impact crime, which means that information can be difficult to find.

Back to work – a guide for organisations

Having a staff member or contractor kidnapped is distressing, disruptive and challenging for any organisation.

Media and social media

Media Attention The amount of media attention a kidnapping receives is different for each case.