A former U.S. Secret Service agent has shared eye-opening advice on personal safety: the way you walk can influence whether criminals see you as an easy target. Drawing from real studies and her own experience protecting high-profile individuals, she explained how simple body language and movement can signal vulnerability or confidence to someone looking for a potential victim.
Insights from an Experienced Agent
Evy Poumpouras, who spent over a decade in the U.S. Secret Service protecting presidents and other dignitaries, appeared on a popular podcast to discuss crime prevention and situational awareness. In that conversation, she revealed the results of a study that asked inmates to pick potential victims simply by watching people walk on city streets. The results were striking: certain walking styles were consistently identified as signs of a “soft target.” According to the study, criminals instinctively gravitate toward people who appear distracted, hesitant, or unsure of themselves.
Three Types of Walkers: What They Signal
According to Poumpouras, the study categorized walkers into three general types:
- Sloppy Walkers – People who walk without purpose, look distracted, and appear unaware of their surroundings. These walkers were repeatedly flagged as vulnerable by the inmates.
- Insecure Walkers – This style appears timid, tentative, or uncomfortable. People who look unsure of themselves also attracted attention from the same group of felons.
- Confident Walkers – These individuals walk with steady, deliberate steps, maintain good posture, and seem aware of their environment. They were consistently not selected as likely targets in the study.
Poumpouras explained that confident walkers project the impression that they are “in control of their body” and present in the moment — traits that deter criminals who want an easy, low-risk victim.
Why Walk Matters More Than You Think
The idea that a person’s gait can influence criminal choice isn’t just anecdotal. Other research has shown that body language plays a key role in human perception and decision-making. Whether we realize it or not, people constantly read subtle physical cues — like posture, speed, and eye contact — to assess confidence, awareness, and strength. For example, a study in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that individuals who appear meek or distracted tend to be perceived as easier targets. By contrast, those who look alert and purposeful are less likely to attract unwanted attention.
Confidence as a Deterrent
The message from both Poumpouras and broader research is clear: walking with awareness isn’t just good for posture — it can enhance your personal safety. Maintaining a deliberate gait, looking forward, and scanning your surroundings shows you’re paying attention. Criminals are less likely to approach someone who seems ready and aware because it suggests that person might resist or retaliate. Being unobservant — such as looking at a phone or rummaging through a bag while walking — can also increase risk by signaling distraction and vulnerability. Criminal opportunists tend to single out people who are focused on something other than their environment.
Practical Tips to Walk with Purpose
Here are some takeaways from Poumpouras’s comments and expert advice on how to move in public in a way that’s less likely to attract crime:
- Keep your head up and eyes forward to show you are alert.
- Avoid looking down at your phone or around nervously; focus on the path ahead.
- Walk with steady, purposeful steps rather than dragging or shuffling.
- Be aware of your surroundings — people who look like they know where they are going are generally less targeted.
Not Just About Fear
Importantly, this advice isn’t about being paranoid — it’s about cultivating situational awareness. Awareness doesn’t guarantee you’ll never encounter danger, but it increases your ability to notice risks early and respond effectively. In an era where personal safety is a priority for many, simple adjustments in how we walk and present ourselves can make a meaningful difference in everyday life.
