Of 283 "left-behind" parents contacted, 65 (23 percent) elected to participate. Results yielded a statistical profile of parental kidnappings and revealed distinct differences between domestic and international cases. The differences were both in gender of the perpetrator and the victims, marital, and custodial status. The survey helped to assess circumstances surrounding the kidnappings, use and effectiveness of existing legal remedies as preventive measures, law enforcement, attorneys, and the court's responses, both pre-kidnapping and post-kidnapping and the emotional and financial costs to parents and victims; and took recommendations for prevention of parental kidnappings. 6 tables, 2 notes, 9 references. (Author abstract modified)