This is a followup of Lara O'Keefe's scary reminder of how vulnerable we can be
 http://activerain.com/blogsview/648086/Trust-Your-Instincts 

There is a fabulous book called "The Gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker: 
Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence. 

The Author says victims of violent behavior usually feel a sense of fear before any threat or violence takes place. They may distrust the fear, or it may impel them to some action that saves their lives. A leading expert on predicting violent behavior, de Becker believes we can all learn to recognize these signals of the "universal code of violence," and use them as tools to help us survive.  Far from being silly intuitions, often these can truly show when something is wrong and violence might be imminent; if listened to, along with information about how violent people behave, these feelings might protect us from harm.  The book teaches how to identify the warning signals of a potential attacker and recommends strategies for dealing with the problem before it becomes life threatening. The case studies are gripping and suspenseful, and include tactics for dealing with similar situations.

A must-read for anyone dealing with strangers on a daily basis -  THAT'S US!!   Be safe,