Bride kidnapping, also known as
marriage by abduction or
marriage by capture, is a practice in which a man abducts the woman he wishes to marry. Bride kidnapping has been practiced around the world and throughout history. It continues to occur in countries in Central Asia, the
Caucasus region, and parts of Africa, and among peoples as diverse as the
Hmong in Southeast Asia, the
Tzeltal in Mexico, and the
Romani in Europe.