 These strategies are used by people of all genders, but some are more often employed by women.For example, many women in an American study reported choosing purses with zippers or holding purses protectively to defend against theft and purse-snatching.As interest in women's safety and women's fear of crime has increased, so has interest in precautionary strategies; for example, in the past few decades, women's self-defense classes, books, and other self-defense instruction have become increasingly popular.