Ben Lopez is a pseudonym. He would not be able to continue his career as a hostage negotiator if his real name were used. Kidnap and ransom (K & R) is big business in many third world countries. Usually, kidnappers abduct one person and demand millions of dollars for his or her return to safety. However, sometimes pirates in Somali abduct an entire ship and its crew. Kidnappers of one individual usually up with tens of thousands of dollars. Most of the time (all of the time in the author's case), the victims walk out alive. Sometimes, they are lucky enough to escape, and no one has to pay a dime.

Companies with valuable executives take out K & R insurance on them. These are the entities that fork over the dough for the ransom payments. Security companies, such as the one that employs Ben Lopez, work on negotiating ransom sums with the kidnappers and keeping everyone safe.

Sometimes, relatives of the hostages employ a security company in order to obtain the return of their loved one. Family members of the hostage are completely distraught, and they sometimes turn their rage on the very people who are helping them. They do not know if they will ever see their loved one again. Some relatives want to be involved in the investigation, and sometimes having them talk to the victim can be helpful.

Being snatched from a familiar environment at gunpoint is understandably an ordeal. However, there are steps that hostages can take in order to minimize the severity of the situation. In general, victims should comply with their captors' demands. Avoiding eye contact in order to appear less threatening is preferable in most situations. Escape should only be attempted if hostages are sure that it will be successful. 

Hostage negotiators work with locals in order to get the kidnappers talking, work them down on the ransom price, and hopefully prevent any violent actions on the part of the kidnappers. People can be kept in captivity for weeks, months or even years. Living on little sleep is the norm when working a case. Cheap, sleazy hotels, dingy negotiation rooms, and lots of coffee are what these professionals survive on. Their work days are spent strategizing with other professionals, which may include police officers, and many hours of telephone conversations with the captors.

This work is a fascinating look at a career that I never thought I would learn about first-hand. An awe-inspiring read.

The Negotiator: My Life at the Heart of the Hostage Trade by Ben Lopez, 2011

Books about kidnappings