New Book: Coping with Capture
SHIPPING: The new Danish produced book - Coping with Capture - prepares the sailor for encounters with professional hostage takers through self education. Its guidelines promote deescalating behavior that aims to eliminate misunderstandings, conflict and unintentional provocation.
In general, seafarers have only a limited knowledge of pirates, their ways of attacking and boarding and their breaching strategies for the citadels. Many seafarers are uncertain about their general situation should they become a hostage, and the treatment they will receive from their captors.
The handbook aims to prepare seafarers for encounters with Somali pirates, and contains valid information about the situation as a hostage on a ship or on land. It provides the seafarer with a set of behavioral guidelines, and coping strategies, to assist him in the event of boarding, citadel break-in and during captivity.
Coping with Capture addresses issues such as :
•Conduct in the event of a citadel break-in
•Deescalating behavior towards armed pirates high on khat
•Dealing with the stress of captivity
•Coping with threats and torture
•Psychological first aid and group dynamics
Coping with Capture is created by a team of experienced specialists, consisting of certified hostage-survival instructors, a crisis psychologist, a Somali culture and piracy specialist, a military linguist, and soldiers from the Naval Special Forces.
“This book is essential reading for all sailors, their employers, and not least their families. Logically constructed and easy to read, it is packed with information about who the pirates are, their culture, etc. There is therefore no excuse not to be prepared. In addition to being a hostage handbook, this is also one of the best basic introductions to Somali pirates on the market”, says Lars Bangert Struwe, PhD, research fellow specialising in antipiracy strategies Centre for Military Studies, University of Copenhagen
Source: Danish Maritime Officers / maritimedanmark.dk
