Key Difference: Abduction is when someone uses deceit or force in order to take a person or a child away from their home or relatives. Kidnapping is taking away or forcefully transporting a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. The kidnapping is usually done for a motive or for ransom.

There are various different words in the English language that can be interchanged and seem very similar. Abduction and kidnapping are two of these words that seem similar in nature, however have distinct differences. These terms are used interchangeably these days, but they differ in terms of laws.

Abduction is when someone uses deceit or force in order to take a person or a child away from their home or relatives. The abductors do not reveal their motive for taking away the person or the child. Merriam Webster defines ‘abduction’ as, “to seize and take away (as a person) by force.” In legal definition, the victim knows or has some sort of relation with the abductor. The victim can be a minor or an adult.

The most common cases of abduction are seen in divorce cases, where one parent is given the sole custody of a child. The person who abducts is not holding the person for profit or any monetary gain from the victim. The laws for abduction crimes vary from state to state and country to country, depending on the severity of the crime.

Kidnapping is taking away or forcefully transporting a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority. The kidnapping is usually done for a motive or for ransom. ‘Kidnapping’ is defined as, “to seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or fraud and often with a demand for ransom.”

Kidnapping involves taking a person from their family forcefully without their consent with the motive of holding the person as a hostage and earning a profit from their family. The kidnapping could be for a number of reasons such as getting monetary reward, or getting some sort of benefit from the person. In the United States, if a person that is kidnapped is taking across state lines, it is considered as a federal law. In order states, the charges range from paying a fine to confinement, depending on the severity of the crime.

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