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Written by: Greg Ellifritz
It was day time on a crowded big-city street in a country far from home. It seems my girlfriend and I attracted the attention of a gang of bag thieves.

I noticed a guy on an opposite street corner talking on a cell phone. He caught my attention when he seemed to be pointing us out to some unseen other person. As soon as he pointed at us we picked up a tail. Two guys appeared out of nowhere and started following us very closely. The dude on the cell phone supervised from a distance.

While we are discussing facial expressions, it’s important to recognize what your own facial expressions may mean to an attacker. Displaying fear and surprise may embolden a criminal. Ekman states “An attacker looking for an easy victim may interpret a fearful expression as a sign that we won’t fight back and will be easily overcome.” Even if you are scared, it’s important not to allow the fear you are feeling to show on your face