Something that only happens to other people has just happened to us. These are the words of a dad, on hearing their son had been kidnapped throwing their family into turmoil as they navigated an alien and precarious situation. Everyone experiences a life-threatening situation at some point, but hostage-taking falls so far outside the realm of reality that families are left reeling. But thanks to your support, Hostage Internationals team of trained caseworkers, many with a personal experience of hostage-taking, can step in to provide essential practical and emotional support for families going through such unimaginable turmoil and to help hostages when they return. One former hostage said: It is frustrating because I try to explain how it feels, but people cant understand. That is where Hostage International makes a big difference. The charity highlights the effects of a kidnap on anyone affected and offers support from people who do understand what it is like, or have expe