Even though we live in a good-sized capital city where poverty and unemployment are high, my wife thinks nothing of walking several blocks alone to the store in the middle of the night. Violent crime (particularly between strangers) is virtually nonexistent here. Have to say, it took me months to get used to it.
I'll have to teach her plenty when we move to the U.S. this summer. That's the one part about going back home that I'm *not* looking forward to. :(