Social Issues in the Management of Released Hostages

Mental health clinicians have assumed a more important role in the release of individuals held hostage by international terrorists. The author uses his experiences during three hostage releases in the late 1980s-the Achille Lauro incident, the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan, and the release of a single hostage from Beirut-to illustrate important factors in managing victims. He describes an intervention model that emphasizes the importance of creating a healing social environment immediately after release. Such an environment encourages strong cohesiveness within the victim group, isolates the victims from external groups, promotes abreaction, and provides an opportunity f or rest and replenishment. Interventions are made to restore a sense of power to the victims and to reduce their feelings of isolation and helplessness and of being dominated by the terrorists.