{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-47.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-47.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-47.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-47.html"}],"law_id":60862,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60862,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-47","catch_line":"Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-36, 18.1-37; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1979, c. 663; 1980, c. 506; 1997, c. 747; 2009, c. 662; 2023, c. 400; 2024, c. 368.","full_text":"A\n\nAny person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person with the intent to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.”B\n\nAny person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, obtains the labor or services of another person, or seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person or threatens to do so, with the intent to subject him to forced labor or services, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.” For purposes of this subsection, the term “intimidation” shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating, withholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, or other governmental identification, threatening to report another as being illegally present in the United States, or threatening to separate another from or to harm a family member.C\n\nThe provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. The terms “abduction” and “kidnapping” shall be synonymous in this Code. Except as provided in subsection D, abduction of a minor shall be punished as a Class 2 felony. Abduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony.D\n\nIf an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending, the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition to being punishable as contempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishable as contempt of court.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":222509,"text":"Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person with the intent to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.”","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":222510,"text":"Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, obtains the labor or services of another person, or seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person or threatens to do so, with the intent to subject him to forced labor or services, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.” For purposes of this subsection, the term “intimidation” shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating, withholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, or other governmental identification, threatening to report another as being illegally present in the United States, or threatening to separate another from or to harm a family member.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":222511,"text":"The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. The terms “abduction” and “kidnapping” shall be synonymous in this Code. Except as provided in subsection D, abduction of a minor shall be punished as a Class 2 felony. Abduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":222512,"text":"If an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending, the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition to being punishable as contempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or visitation, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishable as contempt of court.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15570,"edition_id":1,"name":"Kidnapping and Related Offenses","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:56:24","permalink":{"id":164925,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15570,"identifier":"3","token":"18.2\/4\/3","url":"\/18.2\/4\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13100,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Against the Person","identifier":"4","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:17","permalink":{"id":164763,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13100,"identifier":"4","token":"18.2\/4","url":"\/18.2\/4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":60862,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-47","catch_line":"Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment","url":"\/18.2-47\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-47","metadata":false},{"id":59389,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48","catch_line":"Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose","url":"\/18.2-48\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48","metadata":false},{"id":63979,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48.1","catch_line":"Abduction by prisoners or committed persons; penalty","url":"\/18.2-48.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48.1","metadata":false},{"id":64917,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49","catch_line":"Threatening, attempting, or assisting in such abduction; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49","metadata":false},{"id":86277,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-49.1","catch_line":"Violation of court order regarding custody and visitation; penalty","url":"\/18.2-49.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-49.1","metadata":false},{"id":62919,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50","catch_line":"Disclosure of information and assistance to law-enforcement officers required","url":"\/18.2-50\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50","metadata":false},{"id":81175,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-50.1\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.1","metadata":false},{"id":83160,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.2","catch_line":"Emergency control of telephone service in hostage or barricaded person situation","url":"\/18.2-50.2\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.2","metadata":false},{"id":77889,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-50.3","catch_line":"Enticing, etc., another into a dwelling house with intent to commit certain felonies; penalty","url":"\/18.2-50.3\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-50.3","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":59389,"structure_id":15570,"section_number":"18.2-48","catch_line":"Abduction with intent to extort money or for immoral purpose","url":"\/18.2-48\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-48","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-47\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 8 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1979, chapter 663; in 1980, chapter 506; in 1997, chapter 747<\/a>; in 2009, chapter 662<\/a>; in 2023, chapter 400<\/a>; in 2024, chapter 368<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":60256,"section_number":"15.2-1724","catch_line":"Police and other officers may be sent beyond territorial limits","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-1724\/"},{"id":57160,"section_number":"16.1-260","catch_line":"Intake; petition; investigation","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-260\/"},{"id":80246,"section_number":"17.1-805","catch_line":"Adoption of initial discretionary sentencing guideline midpoints","order_by":null,"url":"\/17.1-805\/"},{"id":56786,"section_number":"18.2-308.2","catch_line":"Possession or transportation of firearms, firearms ammunition, stun weapons, explosives or concealed weapons by convicted felons; penalties; petition for restoration order; when issued","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-308.2\/"},{"id":59657,"section_number":"18.2-356","catch_line":"Receiving money for procuring person; penalties","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-356\/"},{"id":86551,"section_number":"18.2-370.2","catch_line":"Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-370.2\/"},{"id":83105,"section_number":"18.2-370.3","catch_line":"Sex offenses prohibiting residing in proximity to children; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-370.3\/"},{"id":56106,"section_number":"18.2-370.4","catch_line":"Sex offenses prohibiting working on school property; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-370.4\/"},{"id":68291,"section_number":"18.2-513","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-513\/"},{"id":75662,"section_number":"18.2-61","catch_line":"Rape","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-61\/"},{"id":73623,"section_number":"18.2-67.1","catch_line":"Forcible sodomy","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-67.1\/"},{"id":73072,"section_number":"18.2-67.2","catch_line":"Object sexual penetration; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-67.2\/"},{"id":83206,"section_number":"18.2-67.9","catch_line":"Testimony by child victims and witnesses using two-way closed-circuit television or other securely encrypted two-way audio and video technology","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-67.9\/"},{"id":87357,"section_number":"19.2-10.2","catch_line":"Administrative subpoena issued for record from provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-10.2\/"},{"id":77143,"section_number":"19.2-215.1","catch_line":"Functions of a multi-jurisdiction grand jury","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-215.1\/"},{"id":64807,"section_number":"19.2-268.3","catch_line":"Admissibility of statements by children in certain cases","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-268.3\/"},{"id":56020,"section_number":"19.2-297.1","catch_line":"Sentence of person twice previously convicted of certain violent felonies","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-297.1\/"},{"id":60983,"section_number":"19.2-386.16","catch_line":"Forfeiture of motor vehicles used in commission of certain crimes","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-386.16\/"},{"id":76499,"section_number":"19.2-386.32","catch_line":"Seizure and forfeiture of property used in connection with the abduction of children","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-386.32\/"},{"id":79782,"section_number":"19.2-386.35","catch_line":"Seizure of property used in connection with certain offenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-386.35\/"},{"id":61280,"section_number":"19.2-392.02","catch_line":"National criminal background checks by businesses and organizations regarding employees or volunteers providing care to children or the elderly or disabled","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.02\/"},{"id":74660,"section_number":"19.2-392.12","catch_line":"(Effective July 1, 2026) Sealing of offenses resulting in a deferred and dismissed disposition or conviction by petition","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-392.12\/"},{"id":78541,"section_number":"19.2-83.1","catch_line":"Report of arrest of school employees and adult students for certain offenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-83.1\/"},{"id":63732,"section_number":"2.2-515.2","catch_line":"Address confidentiality program established; victims of domestic violence, stalking, child abduction, sexual violence, or human trafficking; application; disclosure of records","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-515.2\/"},{"id":64442,"section_number":"22.1-279.3:1","catch_line":"Reports of certain acts to school authorities; reports of certain acts by school authorities to parents; reports of certain acts by school authorities to law enforcement","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-279.3_1\/"},{"id":56780,"section_number":"4.1-225","catch_line":"Grounds for which Board may suspend or revoke licenses; exception","order_by":null,"url":"\/4.1-225\/"},{"id":73781,"section_number":"53.1-131.2","catch_line":"Assignment to a home\/electronic incarceration program; payment to defray costs; escape; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-131.2\/"},{"id":63586,"section_number":"53.1-202.3","catch_line":"Rate at which sentence credits may be earned; prerequisites","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-202.3\/"},{"id":58640,"section_number":"53.1-40.02","catch_line":"Conditional release of terminally ill prisoners","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-40.02\/"},{"id":80887,"section_number":"8.01-42.4","catch_line":"Civil action for trafficking in persons","order_by":null,"url":"\/8.01-42.4\/"},{"id":80819,"section_number":"9.1-902","catch_line":"Offenses requiring registration","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-902\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":63788,"section_number":"16.1-228","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/16.1-228\/"}],"permalink":{"id":164927,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60862,"identifier":"18.2-47","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-47","url":"\/18.2-47\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-47\/","token":"18.2\/4\/3\/18.2-47","dublin_core":{"Title":"Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-47","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Any person who, by force, intimidation<\/span> or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains<\/span> or secretes another person with the intent<\/span> to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or to withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully entitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.” <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any person who, by force, intimidation<\/span> or deception, and without legal justification or excuse, obtains the labor or services of another person, or seizes, takes, transports, detains<\/span> or secretes another person or threatens to do so, with the intent<\/span> to subject him to forced labor or services, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.” For purposes of this subsection, the term “intimidation<\/span>” shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating, withholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, or other governmental identification, threatening to report another as being illegally present in the United States, or threatening to separate another from or to harm a family member. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law<\/span>-enforcement officer in the performance of his duty. The terms “abduction” and “kidnapping” shall be synonymous in this Code. Except as provided in subsection D, abduction of a minor<\/span> shall be punished as a Class 2 felony<\/span>. Abduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a Class 5 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> If an offense<\/span> under subsection A is committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228<\/a>, who has been ordered custody<\/span> or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court<\/span> in any proceeding then pending, the offense<\/span> shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor<\/span> in addition to being punishable as contempt of court<\/span>. However, such offense<\/span>, if committed by the parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228<\/a>, who has been ordered custody<\/span> or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court<\/span> in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is removed from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228<\/a>, who has been ordered custody<\/span> or visitation, shall be a Class 6 felony<\/span> in addition to being punishable as contempt of court<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nABDUCTION AND KIDNAPPING DEFINED; FORCED LABOR; PUNISHMENT (\u00a7 18.2-47)\n\nA. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal\njustification or excuse, seizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another\nperson with the intent to deprive such other person of his personal liberty or\nto withhold or conceal him from any person, authority or institution lawfully\nentitled to his charge, shall be deemed guilty of “abduction.”\n\nB. Any person who, by force, intimidation or deception, and without legal\njustification or excuse, obtains the labor or services of another person, or\nseizes, takes, transports, detains or secretes another person or threatens to do\nso, with the intent to subject him to forced labor or services, shall be deemed\nguilty of “abduction.” For purposes of this subsection, the term\n“intimidation” shall include destroying, concealing, confiscating,\nwithholding, or threatening to withhold a passport, immigration document, or\nother governmental identification, threatening to report another as being\nillegally present in the United States, or threatening to separate another from\nor to harm a family member.\n\nC. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any law-enforcement officer\nin the performance of his duty. The terms “abduction” and\n“kidnapping” shall be synonymous in this Code. Except as provided in\nsubsection D, abduction of a minor shall be punished as a Class 2 felony.\nAbduction for which no punishment is otherwise prescribed shall be punished as a\nClass 5 felony.\n\nD. If an offense under subsection A is committed by the parent or a family or\nhousehold member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or\nvisitation of the person abducted and punishable as contempt of court in any\nproceeding then pending, the offense shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor in addition\nto being punishable as contempt of court. However, such offense, if committed by\nthe parent or a family or household member, as defined in § 16.1-228, who\nhas been ordered custody or visitation of the person abducted and punishable as\ncontempt of court in any proceeding then pending and the person abducted is\nremoved from the Commonwealth by the abducting parent or a family or household\nmember, as defined in § 16.1-228, who has been ordered custody or\nvisitation, shall be a Class 6 felony in addition to being punishable as\ncontempt of court.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-36, 18.1-37; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1979,\nc. 663; 1980, c. 506; 1997, c. 747; 2009, c. 662; 2023, c. 400; 2024, c. 368.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}