Fear, sure. Prudence works too. Usually fear is something is about one doesn't do. One doesn't get a vaccine, doesn't fly in air craft, doesn't go out at night, doesn't answer the door. I'd say fear is a far bigger factor in the anti-gun crowd.
Let me tell you a story that happened in my very affluent and safe suburb. My wifes friend was driving home from some event with her two children. They get in the driveway and start to get out of the car when another car pulls right in behind them. A man comes out and approaches her while not looking her in the eye and says something about what a wonderful Jew family she has and Jew children. Mind you shes about as Jewish looking as Obama. He kept walking up to them but her husband, who is a giant of a man, the largest I've seen in person, walks out, with their two dogs and the guy quickly goes back to his car and drives off. She still "is fearful" of what would have happened had her husband not been home and such a big guy. They filed a police report but the guy was never caught. The thing about violence is is can happen any time and very unexpectedly. Your father wasn't necessarily fearful he was prudent.I recall my father in his later years acquiring a club. He was a University grade boxer and footballer, very strong, but when his strength went I guess a bit of fear kicked in and he got this stubby cosh. Mind you he lived in a very safe suburb, and was respected as a fair law official, so not one likely to draw reprisals from serious criminals. When he died I found it and threw it out.
I heard Australia went full stupid, but didn't know it went that far.A mate of mine did the same thing when he copped a spinal injury (actually come to think of it he was a pretty handy sportsman and a gun street fighter, worked as a bouncer at some very nasty venues). Made himself a short club out of steel cable wrapped in gaffer tape., I threw that out too, gave him a fat wrench instead because if you kill an intruder with a prepared weapon in Australia there's a fair chance you'll be found to have had malice aforethought and be done for murder. Cops here are mostly trustworthy but they still hate vigilantes. Knock a burglar on the head with a wrench you were just working on the sink with, that's not murder.