Listen: The Power In Fear, Part 1
The thought that independent, athletic and safety-conscious women could be victimized in such a way sent an icy finger of fear up the collective spine of many women.
"Very scary, to say the least," says a local sales executive.
"It made me evaluate how vulnerable I am," admits an avid biker.
"I was really scared that you can go out on a walk with your dog and not come home, ever!" says an aspiring model.
Other women staunchly deny any ramped-up anxiety.
"I've always felt that I could do anything," an accountant says, "but when you hear something like that it makes you think, 'I have to stop and look around and be more aware.'"
"I try not to live in fear. Fear is a bad thing," declares an event planner. "I think caution is good. Fear can paralyze you."
"I hike Red Top a lot, and I thought if it could happen to someone so athletic and able to take care of herself, it could easily happen to me," confides a radio traffic manager.
Is that fear? Or is it something elseworry?
"Fear is an emotion," states security expert Bob Martin, vice-president of the Gavin de Becker security consulting firm in California. The nearly 30-year-old firm bills its experts as specialists in the prediction and prevention of violenceand the management of fear.
"Fear is a physiological response to hazard, and there is nothing you can do about it. You have no control over the fear. What you do have control over is worry. And worry is a choice. Fear is a physiological reaction," Martin says.
In other words, "fear" is a real reaction to real threat; it's not imagining something bad might happen one day. Getting a handle on the difference means when fear rears its head, it's not something to be ashamed of, and definitely not something to be ignored.
Listen here to Martin describing how fear is a gift, and how generally speaking, women and men fear different things--and fear things differently.
"I listen to WSB AM-750 and every day, there's some tragedy, if not here in Georgia, somewhere," says a business manager. "So it teaches you that you have to be cautious nowadays."
Sandy Springs Police Detective Liz Concepcion says wise women will learn to hone that feeling of fearand heed it.
"The more that you know what your 'instinct' feeling isif it's the hairs raising on the back of your neck, if you get a funny feeling in your chest or your stomachyou just have to figure out what your body's telling you, and really listen to it," Concepcion says.
The apprehension, the antsy feeling, the fear you feel? There is power in harnessing it, and there could be near-deadly consequences when you don't, as "Kelly" found out the hard way.
Her story, Tuesday.
Monday, 25 February 2008
WSB 24-Hour Weather Center
Get the 5-day Forecast .
Atlanta weather
Mostly Cloudy81°F
5-day forecast | Hurricane Guide
Marketplace
Learn about the latest advancements in ACL repair from the doctors at Emory Healthcare. Listen to the podcast
Stay ahead of the storm. Find evacuation routes, safety tips and more in the Hurricane Guide.
Read the AJC and stay on top of everything in Atlanta! Get delivery for less than $2 a week!
Join Channel 2 Action News anchors John Pruitt and Monica Pearson at 5, 6, and 11pm.










