The purpose of this Live Web Seminar was to discuss preventive and mitigation strategies with humanitarian professionals who may face the risk of being kidnapped on mission. Drawing from experts in this field, Dr. Stephen Morris and Claude Bruderlein reviewed the potentially traumatic implications of such tragedy and allowed participants to share their views.

2. Personal and family health

3. Professional satisfaction

5. Security on Mission: How to Survive a Kidnapping Live Web Discussion - 11 May 2010 Mr. Claude Bruderlein Director Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University Dr. Stephen Morris International Emergency Medicine Fellow Clinical Instructor at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School Ms. Elizabeth Holland Program Associate Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University

7. Review of commonly held beliefs surrounding kidnapping

8. Discussion with Stuart Groves, Senior Operations Officer, Division of Regional Operations, United Nations Department of Safety and Security

11. Military and paramilitary

12. Terrorists

13. Criminals

14. Emotionally distraught

15. Motivation

16. Financial

17. Political

19. Barricade-people held in a place or building with hostage takers

20. Containment-groups of people are prevented by force from moving

21. Human Shields- hostages are placed in harms way to prevent attack by another force

22. Kidnapping- people are captured and held in exchange for something Overview

24. Planning and surveillance

25. Attack (kidnapping begins)

26. Movement (maybe repeated)

27. Captivity

28. Release

29. Possible relationship between captive and captors

30. Physical restraint and sensory deprivation

31. Mental cruelly

32. Interrogation

33. Indoctrination

34. Abuse

36. Startle and panic (minutes)

37. Disbelief (minutes to hours)

38. Hyper vigilance and anxiety (hours to days)

39. Resistance / compliance (days to weeks)

40. Depression and despair (weeks to months)

41. Gradual acceptance (months to years)

42. Emotional Reaction

43. Shock and panic- unclear thinking

44. Anger and emotional liability

46. Initial phase: high levels of instability of captors

47. Movement: security risk for captors

48. Captor resistance: increased risk of bad outcome

50. Repress unclear thinking of initial reactions: remain calm and composed

51. Maintain a quiet and unprovocativeattitude

52. Establish yourself as a person and individual

53. Follow the rules given to you, as well as you can

54. Avoid undue exchange of information

55. Win the respect of your captors

56. Set goals and keep objectives in mind

58. Attempt to be lighthearted, use humor if possible

59. Take care of yourself: eat and exercise

60. Keep hope alive

61. Utilize stress management / relaxation techniques

62. Accept what is outside of your control

64. Avoid comments to media prior to debriefing and period of reflection

65. Actively participate in recovery opportunities

66. Engage in support and community

68. Question and Answer

69. HostsClaude BruderleinStephen MorrisProducerElizabeth HollandTechnical DirectorJames BrockmanProduction TeamChristina Blunt Cecil HaverkampAnaïde NahikianDustin Lewis

70. If you are interested in participating in the ongoing global research survey on the Safety, Security, and Well-Being of Humanitarian Professionals please visit http://tinyurl.com/3357j47 The survey is part of HPCR's broader research program based at the Harvard School of Public Health, and will be open until 15 May 2010

71. The Health and Safety on Mission Series is produced by: Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) Harvard University School of Public Health Sponsored by For more information on this series, please contact: hpcr@hsph.harvard.edu