Kidnapping is a serious crime that involves taking someone against their will and holding them captive. There are various motivations behind why a kidnapper may target an individual. In this article, we will explore the psychology of kidnappers and their motivations. Understanding why kidnappers commit this crime can help us better prevent and respond to kidnapping cases.
Financial Gain
One of the most common reasons for kidnapping is financial gain. Kidnappers often target individuals who they believe have access to money, such as children of wealthy families. By kidnapping the victim and demanding a ransom, the perpetrator aims to extort large sums of money from loved ones and family.
According to statistics, over 80% of kidnappings worldwide are financially motivated. The amounts demanded as ransom can range from a few thousand dollars to millions of dollars depending on the victim’s perceived wealth and status. Even the average ransom demand in the U.S. is over $100,000.
Kidnappers carry out this crime as a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme, often meticulously planning the abduction and ransom demand. They may stalk potential victims to understand their routines and identify weaknesses that can be exploited. The planning often includes how to secretly detain the victim, make the ransom demands, and ultimately receive the money.
Financially motivated kidnapping cases
Some high-profile kidnapping cases motivated by financial gain include:
- The Lindbergh baby kidnapping in 1932 where the perpetrator kidnapped the 20-month-old son of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh and demanded a $50,000 ransom.
- The 1963 kidnapping of Frank Sinatra Jr, son of the famous singer, for a ransom of $240,000. He was released unharmed after two days.
- The 1978 kidnapping of Argentine Formula One driver Carlos Reutemann’s daughter Cora for a $2 million ransom. She was safely released after $300,000 was paid.
The huge sums demanded and potentially secured through kidnappings continue to fuel financial abductions around the world.
Ideological Motivations
While less common than financial motivations, some kidnappings are carried out to further the ideological beliefs or goals of the perpetrators. This includes cases of:
Terrorism
Terror groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS have been known to kidnap victims as part of their fundamentalist ideology and to send a political message. The public nature of these abductions via videos and threats aims to cause fear and sway government policies. High-profile abductions of journalists, soldiers, and aid workers in the Middle East have been carried out for propaganda purposes by terror groups.
Extortion
Mexican drug cartels frequently kidnap rivals or use mass kidnapping schemes to extort money from locals and businesses. The ransom money is then used to fund their drug operations and territorial wars with other cartels. According to official estimates, there were over 1,000 kidnappings per month in Mexico at the height of cartel violence.
Political Leverage
Politically motivated kidnappings are carried out to force governmental concessions or highlight a political cause. Left-wing guerrilla groups in Latin America like FARC and el ELN used kidnappings to apply pressure during conflicts and peace processes with the state.
| Victim | Kidnapper/Motive |
|---|---|
| Aldo Moro, former Italian PM | Red Brigades, far-left group |
| Over 250 girls from Chibok, Nigeria | Boko Haram, for political leverage |
While not as common today, Cold War era kidnappings of diplomats and Soviet defectors also highlight politically motivated abductions.
Mental Illness
In some rare cases, kidnapping may be tied to mental disorders that impair a person’s judgment and moral inhibitions. While kidnapping itself cannot be attributed to any disorder, certain illnesses can increase kidnapping risk factors.
Anti-social personality disorders
Anti-social personality disorders like psychopathy and sociopathy are seen in many criminals. Symptoms like lack of empathy, inflated ego, manipulation, and disregard for laws can motivate kidnapping. Infamous kidnappers like David Meirhofer exhibited psychopathic tendencies.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenics may experience paranoid delusions that rationalize a kidnapping. Disorganized thinking and difficulty comprehending reality can also increase kidnapping risk in schizophrenics. However, it is important to note that most schizophrenics are nonviolent.
Obsessive disorders
Obsessive desires to possess or control the victim can in very rare cases motivate kidnappings. These object fixations combined with poor coping skills can lead to criminal acts like abduction. However, it is inaccurate to assume all obsessive individuals are prone to kidnapping.
Overall, most mentally ill individuals are law-abiding citizens and should not be stigmatized as kidnapping risks. But certain illnesses that lower inhibitions and impair judgment can increase vulnerability. Access to mental healthcare and social support systems is crucial.
Revenge
Kidnappings can also be motivated by revenge against a specific individual, community, or company. By abducting someone close to the target, the perpetrator aims to exact vengeance for a perceived wrong they believe was done to them.
Some examples include:
- Abduction of a child by a parent denied custody rights during divorce proceedings.
- Kidnapping of a community member by someone harboring resentment towards that ethnic group.
- Kidnapping of a company executive’s family by a disgruntled employee who was fired.
Revenge kidnappings are often very planned, with specific victims chosen to inflict maximum distress on the actual target. They may be rooted in feelings of anger, resentment, betrayal, and a desire to get even after feeling slighted.
Sexual Predation
Sexual deviancy and predatory behavior can also motivate some kidnappings. The victims, often children, are abducted for the purposes of rape, child pornography production, sexual slavery, or other forms of exploitation.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, over 58,000 children are abducted each year by non-family members, and it estimates 115 are victims of stereotypical kidnappings related to sexual assault or exploitation.
Notorious kidnappers like Phillip Garrido, Ariel Castro, and Kenneth Parnell all exhibited predatory sexual behavior and kidnapped young girls for this purpose. Psychologists believe pathological fantasies, distorted sexual appetites, and a sense of power over victims are driving factors in these sex-motivated abductions.
Strict legal measures and sex-offender monitoring programs exist in many countries now to prevent re-offending and safeguard vulnerable populations from predatory kidnappers.
Human Trafficking
Kidnapping also enables human trafficking operations around the world. Victims are abducted through force, coercion, or deception and subsequently trafficked into forced labor arrangements and the sex trade.
It is estimated that 5.9 million children go missing worldwide each year, many ending up in trafficking circles. Tactics used include:
- Abduction of homeless street children in third-world cities
- Kidnapping of refugees fleeing war, persecution, and poverty
- Deception through false promises of gainful employment
The victims are then kept in captivity using violence and intimidation tactics. They are transported globally and sold into various trafficking enterprises by organized crime groups seeking profit. Tougher laws and crackdowns on human trafficking aim to reduce these activities.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
In extremely rare cases, caregivers with Munchausen syndrome by proxy have kidnapped children to assume the ‘parent’ role. By abducting a child, they can fabricate medical problems and continually subject the victim to unnecessary tests, surgeries, and treatments to gain attention and sympathy.
This disorder causes caretakers to exaggerate or deliberately induce illness in someone under their care. Kidnapping then provides them control over the child while acting as dedicated saviors. These cases require intensive psychiatric intervention.
Conclusion
Kidnapping can be motivated by varied complex reasons, from financial gain to psychological pathologies. While law enforcement continues to implement preventative measures, kidnappings continue to persist fueled by these criminal motivations.
By understanding why kidnappers engage in abduction, the justice system can better address root causes and deter future kidnapping attempts. Mental healthcare resources, socioeconomic programs, sexual crime prevention, and anti-trafficking laws all have a role to play in reducing kidnappings.
Ultimately, eliminating the incentives behind the crime through policy and societal change is key to protecting citizens from kidnappers. With comprehensive reforms and safeguards, the threat of abduction can be reduced.