Maybe, and maybe get mugged. But I don't want to get mugged.

Sure on an intellectual level, everyone is a human being, deserves to be heard, not feared, etc, etc.

At night, in a neighborhood ridden with crime, seeing a bunch of teenagers zoom on your from across the street and starting to cross the street toward you, it is easy to re-assess some priorities.

Y'know, people who want to steal for a living usually learn very quickly how to tell if you're gonna fight back. They don't want a fight, they want your money.

If you look like you'll bolt the moment you're threatened, that's a better outcome. Better than being stabbed or shot, at least.

If appearing obviously fearful is enough to significantly increase the chances of people hassling you it's a pretty good indicator that you're in a bad part of town.

I don't think so, there's an element of projective indentification involved. Being fearful is bad in any environment.

Oh they are certainly real people. Real people who will beat and rob you for $3. That's just how people can be at their basest level. Communication and charity doesn't go very far on that plane of interaction. Of course if you are in that part of town as a "customer" than it's different....

I can think of a variety of behavioral things that might help:

* walk quickly, don't look lost

* keep your head up

* brief eye contact with people you see/pass

but honestly, 99% of not being accosted is being male, so it's impossible to tell what really works.