Personal assault is very common in our society nowadays and that's an unfortunate reality. Whichever form it may be, a robbery or assault, it is one of the most insidious invasions of our individual safety. Why does an antagonist pick one person to become his easy mark and not another? What do they look for when they choose their victim? Attackers can easily spot the signals of their next potential target. Knowing what they look for when they make their selection can help you steer clear of being that ill-fated person.

What Does Your Body Language Say About You?

Deviants look for easy marks. Someone who appears to be defenseless, passive and oblivious to the activities going on around. They want a target who is not capable or is too passive to fight back. This type of person is easy catch off guard. It's paramount to know that your chances of becoming a victim is predisposed by the signals you aren't even aware you are sending to an assailant. Our body language and non-verbal cues are the unconscious signals that make up 80-90% of our communication to others. Either knowingly or unknowingly, crooks will make an assessment about you from these signals to determine how easy you will be to overpower and master.

Fortunately there are ways to lessen your chances of being on the receiving end of a violent crime. If criminals look for persons who appear to be unguarded, helpless and unaware, then you must depict the complete opposite of that. One way is to carry yourself with confidence. Confidence is a non-victim attribute. The more self-assured you appear to others, lessens your chances of being someone's target. A criminal will avoid a subject who appears capable of resistance and difficult to subdue. Any display of strength or defiance, whether blatant or implied, is often sufficient to cause a predator to seek out an easier target. You can portray self-assurance by walking swiftly with purpose in your stride. Hold your head upright and be alert.

Are You Aware Of Your Surroundings?

Another way to reduce the odds of becoming a "statistic" is to be keenly aware of your surroundings at all times. By becoming more aware of your surroundings, you not only increase the odds of spotting a potential attacker, you also project an image of being on guard. Pay attention to who is around you and what events are going on at all times. Look at people who are walking towards you. Make eye contact with them. Hooligans look for prey who are inattentive and off guard. So put away those "electronic toys!" Get off your cell phone, iPod, PDA and laptop. They can be the distraction a would be assaulter is looking for. Using these devices in public places like parking garages, malls, parks, etc., lessens your ability to sense a threat and will make you an easy target. If you are distracted and not paying attention you won't even know you are being attacked until it is too late.

Add Some Personal Security Devices To Your Arsenal

In addition to depicting self-confidence and being keenly alert, it would be wise to protect yourself from harm by carrying a few common self-defense devices such as a personal alarm, pepper spray and a stun gun.

A personal safety alarm is just the right tool for getting yourself noticed when you really need it. These small, inexpensive items are easily carried and will give off a loud and extremely obnoxious noise when triggered.

Pepper spray is a non-fatal self-defense spray that is made from oleoresin capsicum (OC), a by-product of peppers. Sprayed in the face and/or eyes of a mugger, it will irritate the eyes, cause tears, pain, and even in some cases, momentary impairment of vision.

A stun gun is a self-defense weapon designed to briefly disable a crook by delivering a non-lethal, high-voltage electric shock. Keep in mind, that these self protection tools will not keep you safe if you do not use them.