Final Project: Outline
Hope Torres
Intersect of Crime, Psychology, and Law
Walden University
10/15/2017
Elizabeth Smart: Psychological effects of abduction and confinement
THESIS STATEMENT: The actions of abductors are more than unlawful, they are psychologically detrimental to the victim by impacting them in several ways.
I. Leading factors in most abductions follow a pattern of certain characteristics of the offender and victim.
A. A child abduction is one of the greatest fears of many parents, especially when their children are young making them more vulnerable to strangers.
1. Highest percentage of sexual abduction victims for were females at 75% and at the ages ranging 12 to 17 years of age (Warren et al., 2016, p. 66).
2. Females
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Resistance can be done verbally or physically.
C. When the victim resists it does not result in being released.
D. A child removed from their home forcefully may be too afraid to cry for help if a weapon is used in the abduction.
1. Any resistance to an offender with a weapon may threaten to harm the child and their family if they refuse to go with the offender.
III. Elizabeth Smart was 14 years of age when she abducted from her home in the middle of the night and was held captive for 9 months in which she endured sexual abused from her captors.
1. Elizabeth’s sister recognized the abductor as a homeless man who had once been hired to do yardwork for pay for a day.
2. The abductor used a weapon and threatened to kill Elizabeth’s siblings.
B. Abduction can have harsh impacts on children.
1. It is normal for a familial offender to groom children in order to create in the child the sexual actions committed are acceptable (Jülich et al., 2016, p. 50).
a. Grooming can come in the way of small physical contact which gradually increases in order to desensitize the child.
2. With stranger abduction, grooming is different and occurs after abduction; this has the capability of developing into the Stockholm Syndrome which is formed by the emotional and physical abuse which is part of the CSA (Jülich et al., 2016, p.
“Hostage survivors often develop an unconscious bond to their captors and experience grief if their captors are harmed”(NP). In some studies, they may also feel guilty for developing a bond. This type of behavior may typically be referred to as the Stockholm Syndrome. In Jaycee Dugard’s memoir, A Stolen Life, she doesn't mention and experience this syndrome in a downlow way. She doesn't confront it as well, but she does mention that she felt bad after he was arrested as well as her other abductor. When they went to the police station, her abductor told the police that she and the kids were his brother’s kids. When Dugard heard, she had the opportunity to rat him out and tell the police the truth, but instead she asked to speak to her uncle instead (A Stolen Life 208). She admits that they were kind of like a family to her and that is what horrifies her. Even though they did all this harm to her and basically took away eighteen years of her life, she was still thankful that they helped raise her two kids that her male abductor impregnated her with. Dugard also showed evidence of what the American Psychological Association mentioned about the emotion stress reaction. “I don't think I slept more than a few minutes that night. I had a terrible sinus headache from crying for several hours. Questions like: What if my mom doesn't accept the girls? What if my mom hates
the abuser is in total control. Threats by a man to kill a woman if she
On August 23rd, 1973, in Stockholm, Sweden, four hostages were held captive after a botched bank robbery and kept there for six days. Throughout these six days the four hostages grew a strange bond with their captor. The captor allowed his captives to call their family, kept them warm when they were cold and even let them out of the vault they were kept in when they said they were claustrophobic. This strange relationship that grew in this short amount later became studied and was widely known as Stockholm syndrome. It has been looked at as one of the smartest survival methods for kidnappings. Stockholm syndrome can be seen in many cases around the world when it comes to kidnapping and happens to one in every four kidnappings that occur, states
This paper will shed light on the abductions of three young women by Ariel Castro. Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus were held captive for over a decade in Ariel Castro’s home located in Cleveland, Ohio. These women were all raped and beaten during their years of captivity by a man that they each had known or come in contact with prior to being abducted. After their rescue Ariel Castro faced charges for the rape and kidnapping of these women, he later pled guilty to these charges. After pledging guilty to the charges Ariel Castro hung himself one night in his jail cell. Each one of these girls maintained a since of hope that
Child Advocates works with court appointed volunteers to break the cycle of child abuse. Child Advocates works with people of all races and social classes. Since abuse and neglect is not specific to a particular race, gender, age, or social class. Each court appointed advocated is assigned one case at a time. A child advocate is guided by their advocacy coordinator which enables them to perform a thorough investigation of the case.
In the twenty first century statistics have proven that stranger abductions are feared most by parents but rarely happen, and the number one abduction that occurs is, parental abduction. “Over 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States each year. Child abduction is a tragedy that devastates parents and touches all of us,” writes Jenny Wanderscheid in her online article. The United States has feared abductions for over decades, but many people misjudge the stereotypical “abduction”.
Society often overlook crimes that are not as trending, meaning, if a certain crime was not featured often on TV even with high severity, then it would not be viewed as a major issue. One prime example is child sex prostitution. There are not a lot research concerning this particular type of crime, in addition to a small amount of ample evidence supporting the level of severity, and coming up with prevention policy (Reid, 2012). Despite minimal amount of research investment, there is a growing pattern for this type of service, both around the world and United States (Fong & Cardoso, 2010). Although, most sex trafficking cases are often more associated with adults, it is actually the youth and/or child populations that are increasing in the
Stockholm Syndrome Found in Elizabeth Smart’s Kidnapping Case It has been found that Stockholm syndrome can be found in many cases of kidnapping or sex trafficking. It is usually found in women, men, and children who have been diagnosed with PTSD. Stockholm syndrome is found when the victim begins to have a sense of trust toward their captor and even possible affection for them. Many women, such as Elizabeth Smart, help raise awareness over traumatic experiences that they have been through.
Many times, the victim is by themselves, with fellow victims, or with their own children produced through this horrible event. Victims can easily feel isolated and naturally, like all humans, look for someone to love and bond with, this person could be their abuser, this is called Stockholm Syndrome. Stockholm Syndrome is a group of psychological problems that are shown in people held captive. It comes from a famous bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden in 1973. The bank robber took three women and one man captive for over 130 hours. When the victims were eventually released, they seemed to have an emotional bond with their abuser, and came to see the police as their enemies rather than the bank robber (Stockholm Syndrome). These people were only held for 5 days, (compared to decades that some sex trafficking victims are held), and they already formed a bond with the abuser. It is not uncommon for sex trafficking victims to become emotionally connected to their abuser. Their abuser is the one giving them the things they need to survive, telling them any news or information, and providing drugs and alcohol. Victims can view these actions as kindness from their abuser, causing them to want to connect with them more. When the victim knows that they could be raped every night, but instead their abuser only does it once a
Persons found guilty of committing the crime of kidnapping risk being imprisoned or heavily find. Additionally, during a kidnap some other offense might occur such as assault and battery. False Imprisonment and Kidnapping are comparative terms but unmistakable as per their legal definitions. While both include persuasively taking an individual away without his consent, false imprisonment is more correctly used in particular cases where a person is confined in a bounded place and denied his or her freedom. Kidnapping is a broader term and includes the unlawful taking of an individual without his consent using threats, deceit, or force with an end goal of confining him or her (Robbins, 2014).
“The worst part about being abused is the betrayal, the one who should have protected you was the one who harmed you.” Child abuse is a social issue that has been around for centuries. One of the most common forms is physical abuse, which is when an adult harms a child. Present day child abuse and child abuse in the Victorian Era are alike in multiple ways but different in others. In the 1800’s child abuse was when an adult physically harmed a child and was not persecuted.
The non-cusdodial parent removes the child or breaks the court agreement regardless of circumstances from the custodial parent. This parent may flee to another state, country, be at harms way, at risk death, suicide with the child. These type of abductions can be very disturbing as well as complex that involve court orders, protective services, and certain emotions. For example the case of 21 month old Maddox Lawrence, who's non custodial father abducyed her and threw her in the harbor in Syracuse, NY. He was charged with murder in the second degree.
Luckily, parents and children alike are not helpless in letting these horrific occurrences happen; there are some things kids should be taught to do when faced with the possibility of a kidnapping and measures parents can take to ensure their children's utmost safety.
In the United States, not only is their severe punishment for committing such an act as kidnapping, but even attempting to kidnap an individual results in a penalty. Kidnapping is now a federal crime due to the Lindbergh Act; enacted after the child of Charles Lindbergh, a famous American aviator, was kidnapped (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia).
The abduction of children for various purposes; ransom and extortion, work, sex, power, custody, has historically been a feature of many societies. (Encyclopedia). There are two types of child abduction: parental child abduction and abduction by a stranger. It is near impossible to conceal a kidnapped child in the world today. 1 child goes missing every 40 seconds -354,000 abductions occur within the family each year -over ½ of the abductors are men -49% of abductors have criminal records -4,600 stranger abductions occur each year -sexual assault is most common as a motive -75% of all abductions involve a weapon of some sort. After everything that happens to all parties involved there can be short