title: The Gift of Fear : Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence
author: Gavin De Becker
description: Each hour, 75 women are raped in the United States, and every few seconds, a woman is beaten. Each day, 400 Americans suffer shooting injuries, and another 1,100 face criminals armed with guns. Author Gavin de Becker 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 &quot;universal code of violence,&quot; and use them as tools to help us survive. 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.
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  THE GIFT
  
  
    
  
  
  OF FEAR
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  SURVIVAL SIGNALS THAT
  
  
    
  
  
  PROTECT US FROM VIOLENCE
  
  
  
  
  
  Gavin de Becker
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The author is grateful for permission to include the following previously
  copyrighted material:
  
  
  Excerpts from Amphigorey
  
  
  by Edward Gorey. Copyright © by Edward Gorey. Reprinted by permission of
  Donadio & Ashworth, Inc.
  
  
  Copyright © 1997 Gavin de Becker  
  
  
  New Foreword Copyright © 2010 Gavin de Becker
  
  
  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
  any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and
  retrieval systems, without written permission of the author, except where
  permitted by law.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To the two people who taught me the most about courage and kindness: my
  sisters, Chrysti and Melissa. And for my mother, and grandfather, and father.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Contents
  
  
  
  
  
  [
  
  
  Foreword to the Special Kindle Edition
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [
  
  
  Chapter 1: In the Presence of Danger
  
  
  
  
  