What to do with very niche subject?

Any general subject magazine would be interested in a piece written in a narrative style bringing out elements that challenge assumptions and expose that aspect of the world. E.g. news, contemporary issues, womens magazines.

General interest pubs like Readers Digest run those kinds of stories sometimes -- really dramatic stories. Is there a spiritual component, like maybe the family has a strong belief in God and it got them through their hard times? Something like that might work for Guideposts or other non-denominational spiritual pubs. I agree with Veinglory too -- women's pubs, general interest, etc. There are also legal journals and pubs that might be interested as well, if there are unique legal angles in your story.

There are loads of publications that would take something like this if the story is dramatic, shocking and engaging. As the other folks have said, general interest and women's issues magazines would likely be all over it. Have you tried pitching it anywhere yet?

Fictionalized, True Crime or sociological investigation? There are a ton of ways to write this and slant it to many types of publications. I have a friend whose wife is a past victim of an abduction and she gets to fly to New York and do a round on the morning news shows every time another Elizabeth Smart goes missing or is recovered. Quite a few articles have been written based on her story. At least she finally came to accept this fact instead of remaining traumatized. Finding the right man helped.

Jeff

Short answer: broaden and blend.

A local magazine might pick up an article with a history of family abductions in that region. A women's magazine might pick up an article about family abductions blended with a "women's issue" (mother's rights? signs that the non-custodial male may be considering abduction? abductions with happy endings?)

It's great to have a topic that isn't just a rehashing of the same general topics in a magazine; you just have to know how to choose a market and bend toward their audience.