# My first serious book is about a kidnapping... Need Help please!



## WritingIsHard (Sep 22, 2018)

Hi guys!
I've finally decided to write my first serious book as a young author. I've been writing since I could pick up a pencil but I'd really like to take it to the next level.
My current book is about a girl who gets kidnapped and forced to work for a criminal but I'm struggling with a few things.
I've done a lot of research already but there is one thing that really has got me stuck at the moment... Why not just run away?
I don't want to chain my character up as that eliminates a lot of the factors I wanted to bring into my story, however I'm not sure how to get my villain character to keep her contained otherwise... What can I do to keep her there without limiting her freedom of movement completely? 
Does anyone have some expertise in kidnapping stories? 
I could use any tips and facts about this sort of thing as possible. I don't want to include anything really mature in my story but I want it to seem realistic...
Please help!
Thank you in advance for your replies.


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## Jack of all trades (Sep 22, 2018)

WritingIsHard said:


> Hi guys!
> I've finally decided to write my first serious book as a young author. I've been writing since I could pick up a pencil but I'd really like to take it to the next level.
> My current book is about a girl who gets kidnapped and forced to work for a criminal but I'm struggling with a few things.
> I've done a lot of research already but there is one thing that really has got me stuck at the moment... Why not just run away?
> ...



You're getting into the realm of brainwashing.

She would have to be imprisoned for a time, while she loses her belief that escape is possible.

There are lots of real life cases where people have been taken against their will and then, eventually, stop trying to flee. Do more research. Read real accounts.


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## moderan (Sep 22, 2018)

Stockholm Syndrome, for one thing.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 22, 2018)

When I was a kid we had a close family friend kidnapped for ransom.
When they found him a year later he had to be identified by his dental records, and the skillcraft US Govt pen he had in his pocket.
Kidnappers are the most brutal of people.
Your heroine would likely try to escape, but they would catch her and beat her, rape her (actually they prolly already raped her), and make sure to repeat this process any time they caught her straying.
Also, if they are keeping her for labor, then there will likely be others as well. In this scenario kidnappers will often use an escapee to set an example.

Another angle is that your victim is not kidnapped alone.  A younger sister or brother would make her vulnerable. Just threaten the younger sibling and you guarantee compliance.


Remember Samantha Smart? Her kidnappers used to go to town for supplies regularly.  In fact they were caught in town when someone recognized her.
She had not fled because she was afraid she would endanger people by speaking out.  When they were finally revealed, her kidnapper got angry and threatening to the guy who spoke up.
The good Samaritans called police who ran them down and saved Samantha.

Also, if she is not the only victim, she may have problems with the other victims who have fallen under Stockholm syndrome. She may try to escape, only to be outed by another victim who either is afraid they will all be beaten, or has begun to drink the kool-aid.



$0.02


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## ironpony (Sep 22, 2018)

Well in order to see the bigger picture, why does the criminal want to kidnap her for her and force her to work?  Why doesn't the criminal just get a willing worker who agrees with the criminal in achieving the same goal, or can the criminal not find anyone like that?


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## WritingIsHard (Sep 22, 2018)

ironpony said:


> Well in order to see the bigger picture, why does the criminal want to kidnap her for her and force her to work?  Why doesn't the criminal just get a willing worker who agrees with the criminal in achieving the same goal, or can the criminal not find anyone like that?



Ok so the full draft Idea I have so far is that my characters live in a country run by a terrible leader (I guess a bit like Kim Jong Un). The protagonist is just a normal girl who hates the often unusual, strict and dangerous rules the leader has applied to the country. The man who kidnaps her is a rebel who works against the leader. In the eyes of many people he is a terrible man and often he can be. He kidnaps people he believes he can re-manipulate to help him fight against the leader as many are too afraid too and would much rather hand themselves over for working with a rebel.

He has a small amount of women he is using as "Disposable Soldiers" He's using to test the leader's military defenses, often ending in the death of the soldier. When they're not working as a soldier they're his personal "Maids", beating and abusing them to break them down and "Reprogram" them into his so-called "Soldiers".

At least that's what I have so far... My protagonist is his newest recruit.

I hope this is helpful somehow


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## ironpony (Sep 22, 2018)

Oh okay.  Why does he want women to be soldiers only, and no men?  Is it because he believes women are easier to break down and control?


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## WritingIsHard (Sep 22, 2018)

ironpony said:


> Oh okay.  Why does he want women to be soldiers only, and no men?  Is it because he believes women are easier to break down and control?



Yes, He believes women are mentally weaker than men and can be better trained to do what he wants them to do. He is a very twisted man.


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## ironpony (Sep 22, 2018)

Oh okay.  Well I guess if he wants her to go into battle, but not have her disobey and run away, then he will have to have her under some sort of mind control perhaps.


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## Ralph Rotten (Sep 23, 2018)

Really he would use women because they are easier to PHYSICALLY dominate, can be used as terrorists (few people would suspect a woman), and also rape.  Like I said, people who kidnap are the very worst kind of people.


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## Guard Dog (Sep 24, 2018)

WritingIsHard said:


> Yes, He believes women are mentally weaker than men and can be better trained to do what he wants them to do. He is a very twisted man.



Then he would no doubt have people "on staff" who were capable of mentally conditioning a person to do whatever he wanted... experts in brainwashing. Which would answer your question of why they don't run off or escape.
So you need to look into all the ways a person can have their mind altered. And I'm not just talking about torture. There's also drugs, reward/punishment conditioning, etc.

Also, "Normal" in the environment you describe - North Korea, for instance - goes right out the window when compared to most other countries in the world... the supposedly "civilized" ones anyway. If the girl can survive in a place like that, she's no doubt mentally tougher and more resilient than most people you or I will ever meet.
And I say this based on the number of people I've known and talked to who survived some pretty suck-ass places.
So you've probably got some work and research to do concerning exactly what people who live in places like that have to endure just to survive.

G.D.


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