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Preferred term

kidnapping  

Definition

  • Kidnapping is broadly defined as the taking and holding of another person against their will. The term kidnap comes from the slang terms kid, for “child,” and nab, which means “to steal.” Kidnapping used to apply only to child abductions but is now used to describe abductions of both children and adults. [Source: Encyclopedia of Murder and Violent Crime; Kidnapping]

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URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/kidnapping

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