History is littered with stories of kidnappings of prominent
figures and genocidal acts against significant parts of whole
societies.
Julius Caesar, Emperor of Rome in the year 75
BC, Ireland's Patron Saint, St Patrick
in AD 403 and England's King Richard the
Lionheart in AD 1192, were all victims of kidnapping for a monetary
ransom.
The practise of slavery against peoples of the African and Asian
continents tore apart not just families, but whole communities, as
did the forced removal of children in Australia – known as
the Stolen Generations.
Kidnapping is an act that can financially, socially or
politically benefit one person, group or even society to the
detriment or even misery of another.
