There are no ten easy steps to memorize that will ensure survival from attack. The best insurance you can buy to prepare for the slim possibility that you may be physically attacked in your life is to get training in self-defense. In looking for a class, be sure to keep in mind that all martial arts are not the same. Each art emphasizes different qualities and approaches. There are hundreds of different styles to choose from, and at least 100 schools or classes are available in the Sacramento metropolitan area.
Most instructors teach some form of karate.
Aikido emphasize close-in combative arts that prepare you to escape from holds, take an attacker down to the ground, and immobilize him with joint locking arts, nerve pressure and organ striking techniques. Before making your decision concerning which school to attend, talk to many different instructors, to get a feeling about their philosophy of self-defense and life in general, watch how they teach, take an introductory class from them, talk to other women at the school about their experience there, and get a feeling about whether the place and the art and the people there are right for you. Be wary of teachers who stress aggressiveness and competition over practical skills. Philosophically, try to find a teacher who advocates a proactive and assertive approach to self-defense.