Okay, most of this is pretty obvious, but it hit home here and may to you too.

The Truth about Violence: 3 Principles of Self-Defense by Sam Harris

Interesting article. It seems Sam Harris only writes about the situation in the U.S. Or is his article intended to be about self defence in general?

It was a good read non the less...

Really good article. I'm saving it as a reference to use as my kids get older.

Once, while walking my bike along the lakefront of Chicago, three men approached me asking for directions to a well known tourist site (the Bean). They tried to set up one on each side and the third tried to get behind me, the first being really friendly and asking for the directions. I felt immediately threatened, and quickly backed up to keep the third guy in front of me, keeping eye contact with all three. The friendly guy smiled, and said 'whoa, relax, we're just trying to find the Bean, can you direct us there?' I actually found myself thinking where the Bean was relative to us and figuring out where to point them. But that third guy kept trying to get behind me, making me really nervous. I finally just said I didn't know and walked aggressively off in another direction. In hindsight, it seems obvious they were up to no good, but in the moment , this all occurred unexpectedly over a few seconds, and I can see where the element of surprise and being prepared to avoid surprise can make a big difference.

These principles seem to work also in the country where I'm from- ex-soviet Latvia. Just be streetwise- keep away from dangerous places (seedy bars/poor neighborhoods/markets), avoid eye contact with shifty characters, don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself visually and audibly. Don't be a high value target for the muggers- stay away from flashy accessories (iBuds are a dead giveaway, so are flashy watches and jewelry), wear casual clothing, preferably- colors that are natural to the habitat you find your self in. Most importantly- maintain good posture, keep your head up, straight back and walk confidently. It sounds cynical, but to get away from a wolf you just need to outrun the sheep. Also keep in mind that you must assess the situation and behave accordingly- no need be all paranoid if the environment is not hostile, you'll just end up scaring people. Knowing body language and psychology also helps immensely. That's it for Latvia and most likely any eastern block country.

To be honest, I'm very relieved here, in Iceland. No need to keep my guard up that high. I guess that crime stems from inequality.

The importance of body language and keeping an eye on your surroundings is very important. Most importantly though is what people can identify immediately through your eyes. If you don't like a certain place and/or certain people, just stay away.

Insecurity and fear, your eyes don't lie...