|
You're Kidnapped and Held for Ransom
Why It Won't Happen: More likely than an open-ended capture for ransom, says McCann, is a "quicknapping," during which the victim is abducted for a short time, taken to one or more ATMs, and forced to give her captors cash before being released—usually unharmed.
But If It Does: At the moment someone tries to kidnap you, run and yell "Fire!" (which is more likely to attract attention than "Help!"). "A lot of people don't have an escape mentality," says McCann. "When you grab them, they stop thinking like a person who is free and start thinking like a prisoner." Look for an out—when your captor's attention is elsewhere. But if there's no chance of getting away, make him see you as a person, not a thing, by talking about how relieved your kids will be when you're freed, or about your ailing mother, who's depending on you—or whatever humanizing story you can convincingly muster that might induce empathy and get you released.
Keep Reading
