A Family Resource Guide on International Parental Kidnapping

When a child is abducted by a family member, the parent who has been left behind faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles. The emotional, legal, and financial difficulties precipitated by the abduction can be among the hardest challenges a parent will ever encounter. For parents whose children are taken to or retained in foreign countries, these hardships can be particularly overwhelming. Given the complex nature of international abductions, a swift and informed response is often difficult. Unfamiliar languages and laws, compounded by the vast psychological and physical distance of the separation, can frustrate recovery efforts. Despite these obstacles, however, it is crucial that victims of international parental kidnapping remain optimistic. Although the situation is dire, it may not be irrevocable. By responding to the abduction in a hopeful, informed, and resolute fashion, left-behind family members can marshal an effective recovery plan. With this goal in mind, we encourage parents of abducted children to use this guidebook as a resource. It offers descriptions and realistic assessments of available civil and criminal remedies, explains applicable laws, identifies public and private resources, and identifies strategies to help left-behind parents recover their children or reestablish meaningful contact with them in another country. Our hope is that the information presented here will give parents the knowledge and support they need to reclaim their children.