Stockholm Syndrome

The syndrome where people who were kidnapped start to trust the kidnapper over time is Stockholm syndrome. It was said to have started after a 1973 hostage in Stockholm, Sweden. The victims that were held hostage didn’t testify against their captors and didn’t try to get rescued.

I couldn’t even imagine trusting my captor if I was kidnapped. I think I would have so much buildup of hatred toward them that I would never be able to give in to them. It must be a mental or emotional feeling that the victims go through to make them develop this syndrome.

The most famous U.S. case of Stockholm Syndrome is the kidnapping of Patty Hearst. Patty was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army and eventually developed Stockholm Syndrome.

Here is a video on You Tube of a news broadcast on Patty Hearst. A video recorder was sent to the news station and it had a recording of Patty’s voice on it. You can tell by the tone of her voice and what she says that she probably did have Stockholm Syndrome. It amazes me that she wanted to go home, but also said she was comfortable in the environment that she was living in and that. I couldn’t even begin to think that I would be content with where I was taken. I would feel so out of place and so unfamiliar with the people that I would be frightened.




Also, here is the link to some more information of Stockholm Syndrome: http://ask.yahoo.com/20030324.html