No matter how much personal protection equipment we buy, it's impossible to eliminate all threats all the time. Living in the 21st century means living with the reality of crime no matter where we choose to make our homes. Crime is certainly not endemic to the city, nor is it specific to the suburbs or the country. Potential threats exist around every corner.

Rather than resign ourselves to isolated existences, however, we can all take steps to minimize the incidence of crime. Some measures such as neighborhood watch programs rely upon community cooperation, which is often the best means of policing. At the same time, there are steps we can all take as individuals to deter common threats at home, on the road, and in the workplace.

You Come and Go; You Come and Go-Oh-Oh

Ask anyone who's had his or her pocket picked while traveling abroad where their theft took place, and you're likely to learn it was at the train station, the airport, or the crowded city center. Thieves tend to target areas with heavy traffic, as these provide the perfect environment for striking and then quickly disappearing. Moreover, the commotion in places such as travel hubs makes it much harder for you to take stock of all your possessions. You put your purse down for a nanosecond, look around, and then it's gone.

Problems like these must be prevented and not treated. A security alarm, a can of mace, or a stun gun will achieve nothing once you're adrift in a sea of bodies and your wallet or pocket book has already been snatched. It's best then for travelers to focus their attention on shoring up their most obvious points of vulnerability such as back and side pockets, carry-on bags, and external fanny packs.

When Trouble Strikes

In the event that you are faced with a physical encounter, there's no substitute for knowing exactly what to do. Number one, always remember that no purse or wallet is worth your life, no matter what its contents. Number two, employ any tactics necessary to buy yourself an escape route. Engaging your attacker in hand-to-hand combat is always ill-advised unless you've no other recourse.

Should it come down to a physical confrontation, a personal security device can be one of your greatest allies. This may be an audible alert such as a high-decibel siren, or it may be a visible distress signal such as flashing lights. Personal safety devices exist that deploy both types of defenses, sometimes simultaneously, which is the best of all options.

Alternative Measures

Irritants and inflammatory agents such as mace and pepper spray present yet another option for self-defense and deterrence. Oleoresin capsicum is derived from high-potency pepper and is enough to cripple your attacker's respiratory system for minutes at a time. The agent is known to sting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, mouth, and lungs, providing you with the opportunity you need to flee and find a police officer.

For those who feel pepper-based products lack the wallop needed to stave off unwanted company, Tasers and stun guns are viable alternatives. These devices administer high-voltage shocks that interfere with your attacker's central nervous system and impede its electrical signals, thereby rendering him powerless to fight. Just be sure to check the laws in your city or state before purchasing an electrical device, as they've been banned in many parts of the country. Many vendors won't even ship their products to certain states no matter how much you're willing to pay.