Terrorist groups and organized crime cartels pose an increasing threat of kidnapping throughout many regions in the word. At the same time, international travel has become more commonplace for both business and leisure purposes. Kidnapping and Abduction: Minimizing the Threat and Lessons in Survival provides a practical guide on the precautions travelers can take to avoid being kidnapped or derail a kidnapping attempt in progress. In the event this cannot be avoided, the book supplies advice on how to ensure survival during captivity. Readers will learn: The basic elements of kidnapping and abduction The motivations and mechanisms of kidnappers The hotspots where kidnapping/hostage taking is prevalent Vehicles best suited for avoidance of kidnap threat and proposals for up-armoring an existing vehicle How to recognize immediate threats and precautions to be taken in assessing threat level The types of weapons most favored by kidnappers and their threat level Available bullet-resistant materials and their use in stab- and bullet-resistant vests Resistance methodologies and weapons for self-defense Legislation in various countries pertaining to the carrying of weapons How to survive long-term abduction if kidnapped How to best assist the authorities once released Essential reading for anyone living, doing business, or traveling abroad or at sea, this practical handbook reveals tactics that best enable those vulnerable to protect against an attack—or in the worse-case scenario, increase their chances for survival.