Data from the National Crime Survey (victimization survey) show that men experience about twice as much crime as women, with the exception of rape and personal larceny with contact (1978); however rape and personal larceny with contact (primarily purse snatching) are among the least frequently occurring crimes. Women have a higher fear of crime and use crime prevention precautions more often than men, however, suggesting that women's reactions to crime are not based in personal victimization experiences. Women's perceptions of themselves and their environment appear to be most influential in stimulating their fear of crime and crime precautions. Perceptions that their neighborhoods are dangerous, primarily in response to signs of deterioration, and that they personally have few physical resources to defend against a personal attack, particularly rape, fuel fear of crime in women. While some precautionary behavior by women is rational, the overall impact of restrictions women impose on their behavior is unnecessarily crippling and costly to a fulfilling lifestyle. Given that women's fear of crime and consequent restrictive behavior is out of proportion to the actual risk of victimization, steps should be taken to help reduce women's fear of crime. This could be done by encouraging women to participate in self-defense programs, which have been shown to have the effect of increasing women's sense that they can control situations and defend themselves against attack, and to become involved in community development programs, which can not only increase their contact with neighbors but also increase their sense of control over their neighborhoods. Tabular data and 49 references are provided.