Difference Between Abduction and Kidnapping

Abduction vs Kidnapping

English language is full of similar meaning words that confuse not just nonnatives but, even those who think they know everything about English language. One such a pair of words is ‘Abduction and Kidnapping’ where the two are freely used interchangeably by people in different contexts, whereas the two are not synonyms and there are differences that will be highlighted in this article.

Abduction

Using deceit or force to carry someone away without revealing the intent classifies as a case of abduction. Abduction is a word that is legally used in cases where the abductor is a known person or has relations with the person being taken away. The cases of abduction are seen mostly in events of divorce and the courts giving away custody of children to one of the parents. In the eyes of the law, both a minor as well as major could be abducted.

The abductor is mostly known to the person who is abducted, and there is no motive of holding a person hostage to get ransom. The person who the abductor holds as captive is in himself a reward and there are no demands put forward by the abductor to return the hostage.

Kidnapping

This is a cognizable offense and involves taking a minor away from his family forcefully without the consent of his parents or guardians. Kidnapper always has a profit motive in his mind, and tries to gain media attention to let the world know he has a hostage in lieu of whom he demands money from the near and dear ones of the captive. In kidnapping, the hostage is used as a negotiating tool, to get a reward in the form of money. In most cases, the kidnapped person is returned back with safety, though, in many cases, the hostage meets a tragic end when the kidnapper, even after getting money, kills him for fear of the law.

What is the difference between Abduction and Kidnapping? • First and foremost, the law makes a distinction between abduction and kidnapping and hence there are differences in penalties set out in the two cases. Penalty is often dependent upon the circumstances and the torture, if any inflicted on the abducted or captive. • Abduction does not involve any ransom as the hostage is in himself a reward for the abductor. On the other hand, kidnapping is done basically for some demands that are later revealed through media or telephone. Abductor, on the other hand, does not want any media glare or attention, and his motive remains unclear until he is captured. • The victim must be a minor in case of kidnapping while in the case of abduction; the victim can be both a minor and an adult.