Survival Tips If You Are Taken Hostage
The first rule of being taken hostage is: try not to be taken hostage. Most of the time a kidnapper is moving his victim to do her harm in private. If kidnapping cannot be avoided, consider these survival tips.
Do’s
* Attract attention to your situation. Do not think that you can resolve all situations because of your skills of de-escalation. Immediately call for assistance or activate your man down device. Your radio and other corrections tools will be taken by the inmates for control so if at all possible break off keys in door locks or break radios so they can’t here institutional communications.
* Pay attention to your surroundings and remember who the ring leader of the situation is.
* Create a rapport with your hostage takers, but you must do so with dignity and self respect. Inmates will view frailty and feebleness as weakness and will show you no respect or favor. This rapport may save your life but weakness may lead to victimization.
* Make eye contact with the hostage takers sparingly, use the hostage takers first names if you know it, and talk to the hostage takers especially about your family and show them family photos if you have them. Create feelings of a bond so that the inmates will spare you.
* Determine if you have similar interests as the inmates e.g. sports, food, hygiene etc.
* Listen to the hostage takers. If they want to talk about their cause, act interested. You may explain that you understand and might not agree, but you’re interested in their view points.
* Avoid appearing overly attentive or interested in what is taking place with the evolving situations, the hostage takers may view this as patronizing or insincere.
* Do not refuse favors offered by the hostage takers, this may aggravate them and further harm your health and safety.Dont’s
* Avoid struggling if threatened with weapons. Only you will have to decide if by resisting the hostage takers will aid in your escape, each person’s assessment of the circumstances will prevail. Remember, the hostage takers in front of you may not be the only ones involved, and other inmates out of sight may jump in once they realize the overthrow is successful.
Survive
