Hatab explains that kidnapping includes several stages: “Setting a ploy to lure the victim into the trap. Putting pressure on a third party — with which the victim is affiliated or close to — in order to extort financial or moral gain. Kidnappers do not always seek to kill their hostages, rather they often seek blackmail and gains. At first, kidnapping is a confidential matter and then it later becomes public when the kidnappers declare their demands and outline a method for obtaining them.”

According to Dr. Shawki Douaihy of the Department of Sociology at Saint Joseph University, kidnapping “is generally and essentially subject to the law of exchange that governs relations between individuals. Communities may experience kidnappings; however, kidnapping is not a social phenomenon. With the absence of authority and official control, kidnapping cases increase. In these cases individuals resort to kidnapping to solve a particular problem with other parties.” He added: “here we are talking about exchanging humans and death.”

Dr. Zuhair Hatab, of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Lebanese University, defines kidnapping as “one of the means and behaviors that people resort to in order to pressure a third party. Kidnappers seek to achieve gains that the concerned party would otherwise not consent to or accept.”

What is happening on the ground goes far beyond the context of politics and the media. It is deeper than any television interviews, and surpasses political or tribal parties that stop to hurl threats at each other, only to continue walking into their own path. What is happening is much more serious than any strategic or international analysis that would draw people’s attention for a while, only for them to soon forget it and carry on with their daily lives. Lebanese people are witnessing kidnappings that are weighing heavily on their community and reflect a bitter reality.

According to Dr. Sari Hanafi, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the American University of Beirut, the kidnappings that have recently become rife in Lebanon “reflect a deep crisis in Lebanese society, they are a manifestation of an absence of state institutions and the lack of a sense of nationalism.”

Douaihy believes that “these kidnapping operations reflect the absence of authority and official institutions that are concerned with managing citizens’ affairs. They also show signs of social and psychological fragmentation.”

Hatab considers kidnapping “a violent and chaotic practice, as individuals are not subject to law or logic. They rather take matters into their own hands.”

Kidnappings have short and long-term social effects. “Kidnapping advances the idea of taking matters into one’s own hands with no respect for the law. It also promotes a sense of intolerance towards other individuals,” explains Hanifi.

Hatab adds that “kidnappings contribute to the growth of hostile relations towards others, since such animosity would then become justified.”

Society’s Reaction

Usually, kidnappings spawn public debate. According to Hatab, “people are mostly divided between those who support kidnapping and those who reject it. Some condemn the act, while others might show sympathy, depending on the reason and cause behind the kidnapping.”

In Lebanon, Hanafi says that “people’s reactions differ from one group to another. Some would merely accept the incident, while others would be intimidated, scared or even shocked by what happened.”

Douaihy believes that “the secular, non-partisan or civil fabric of Lebanese society remains very weak. Thus, Lebanese citizens have not yet mobilized to strongly condemn this phenomenon.”

In Lebanon, social networking sites are rife with expressions related to kidnapping such as “abduct me,” “act like a Meqdad clan member and kidnap me,” “if you don’t do what I say, I’ll kidnap you” and many other similar phrases. Douaihy says these expressions are widely used since “sometimes people turn tragedies into satirical plays and comedies in order to cope with them.” This reminds Hanafi of the "civil war and the resulting absence of the state and the rule of law.”

Masculine Kidnapping

It has been noted that in most cases it is men who are kidnapped. This can be explained by a variety of reasons. On the one hand, Hatab explains that "Arab societies are patriarchal and men in these societies symbolize power, whereas the value of women is disregarded. As a result of this, the abduction of women does not take on a military, political or economic dimension.” Hanafi states that "traditions regarding gender relations exclude the role of women in the Arab world, thus making the kidnapping of women shameful.”

In contrast, Douaihy confirms that "the honor of women in Arab societies is a sensitive issue. Thus, the kidnapping of women sparks strong and serious reactions, which presents an obstacle.”

Past and Present

Hanafi finds that "the kidnappings that have taken place recently are dangerous and differ from past operations.” He indicates that the "media is openly covering abductions. Kidnappers are shown without any face covering, and kidnappers speak on behalf of the family or the concerned authorities without being treated as unethical or inhumane people.”

Douaihy says that the reason kidnappings are being carried out so openly nowadays, as opposed to the past, is that "the media, means of communication and live broadcasts have all evolved.”

On the other hand, Hatab distinguishes between the kidnappings that are currently happening and those that occurred in the past, saying that "previous operations used to be carried out for political reasons, such as the Palestinian issue, or in support of revolutionary issues. However, the weakness of state bodies and the fragmentation of decision-making authorities have contributed to the emergence of kidnapping cases for financial or personal demands. Thus, kidnappings have turned into a private matter.”

Psychological Effects of Kidnapping

Reina Sarkis, a psychological analyst who deals with people who were kidnapped and held for more than fifteen years, distinguishes between the psychological state of the kidnapping victim while in custody and following their release.

Sarkis says that “kidnapped individuals live in a state of extreme fear and anxiety regarding their fate. They lose the ability to think clearly, plan for the future or enjoy a sense of safety. Kidnapped individuals are taken away from their lives and the places in which they are accustomed to living. Their families experience major psychological punishment, as they know nothing about the fate of their children, much less about their living conditions.” She continues: "Following their release, the victim faces problems coping with normal life and the psychological effects of the kidnapping do not go away quickly. People who were taken hostage show signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. Some things or situations remind them of the kidnapping and the feelings of horror and shock that they had to face. Following their release, kidnapped individuals also face trust issues, often they are unable to trust others."

Sarkis says that recent kidnappings have "generated a sense of frustration, depression and anxiety among Lebanese citizens amid the absence of security and formal protection which would maintain the rights and personal security of citizens.”

Stockholm Syndrome

In August 1973, Jean-Eric Olsen and Clark Olfsson robbed a bank in Stockholm, Sweden, holding four people hostage. The hostages became emotionally attached to the kidnappers and they even defended them after their release. Nils Bigiro, a psychiatrist, named this sympathy between the kidnapped and the kidnapper "Stockholm Syndrome.”

Sarkis says that "Stockholm Syndrome” — when a kidnapping victim becomes attached to their kidnapper — results from the fact that the life of the former depends on the latter. The victim needs the kidnapper to secure food and other necessities, as well as to communicate with the outside world. Sarkis said that this happens in some kidnapping cases, not all of them.

Hanafi said that "the victims of the kidnappings that are currently taking place in the country show no symptoms of such syndrome.”