英国卫报:绑架为何成了一门生意(14)

However, the benefits that security consultants¹ provide are only available if people have access to kidnapping and ransom³ insurance.

然而，安全顾问提供的好处只有在人们有机会获得绑架和赎金保险的情况下才能获得。

Governments should work with the industry to develop innovative⁴ ways to extend coverage⁵ to vulnerable groups.

政府应与行业合作，开发创新方法，扩大弱势群体的覆盖面。

K&R coverage can be tucked into travel-insurance policies or provided through employers whose staff operate internationally.

K&R保险可以包含在旅行保险单中，或者通过员工在国际上工作的雇主提供。

For high-risk groups, such as freelance journalists and volunteer aid workers in conflict zones, the challenge is more difficult.

对于高危人群，比如冲突地区的自由记者和志愿援助工作者，挑战就更大了。

But governments can work with the industry to develop specialised products, even if these require public subsidies⁶.

但政府可以与该行业合作开发专门产品，即使这些产品需要公共补贴。

Finally, the families of kidnapping victims who lack insurance

最后是那些没有保险的绑架受害者的家庭，

should be given access to security consultants in extraordinary circumstances, such as those with national security implications.

在特殊情况下，如涉及国家安全的情况下，他们应被允许接触安全顾问。

This can be done by creating an industry-wide pro² bono standard, whereby security companies increase their volunteer services.

这可以通过建立一个全行业的无偿服务标准来实现，这样安全公司就可以增加他们的志愿服务。

It could also be done via some sort of government pool that needy⁷ families can access if certain standards are met.

它也可以通过某种政府统筹来实现，如果符合某些标准，贫困家庭就可以获得这种资助。

When I met with representatives from the Foreign Office,

当我会见外交部的代表时，

I found them dug in to their view that the no-concessions⁸ policy was simply not up for discussion or debate.

我发现他们固执地认为，不让步政策根本不值得讨论或辩论。

This is a shame, because data made available in recent years does not support its central contention⁹,

这是一个耻辱，因为近年来的数据并不支持它的核心论点，

namely that refusing to pay ransom reduces the risk of future crime.

也就是说，拒绝支付赎金可以降低未来犯罪的风险。

Moreover, as Doug Milne notes: “By refusing to allow concessions, you drive the negotiations¹⁰ underground,

此外，正如道格·米尔恩所指出的：“拒绝让步，你就把谈判推到了地下，

so the intelligence you might otherwise get following the case disappears.

所以你追踪这个案子可能得到的情报就消失了。

The families feel they could potentially be prosecuted¹¹. And the government becomes the enemy.”

他们的家人觉得他们可能会被起诉。政府就成了他们的敌人。”

That’s a bad outcome that does not serve the hostage, or advance Britain’s national security.

这是一个糟糕的结果，既无助于人质，也无助于英国的国家安全。

It’s time to consider a new approach.

是时候考虑一种新方法了。

1 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

2 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

3 ransom   

n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救

参考例句：

• We'd better arrange the ransom right away.我们最好马上把索取赎金的事安排好。
• The kidnappers exacted a ransom of 10000 from the family.绑架者向这家人家勒索10000英镑的赎金。

4 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

5 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

6 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 needy   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的，生活艰苦的

参考例句：

• Although he was poor,he was quite generous to his needy friends.他虽穷，但对贫苦的朋友很慷慨。
• They awarded scholarships to needy students.他们给贫苦学生颁发奖学金。

8 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

9 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

10 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

11 prosecuted   

a.被起诉的

参考例句：

• The editors are being prosecuted for obscenity. 编辑因刊载污秽文字而被起诉。
• The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. 这家公司被控违反《卫生安全条例》。