Talk to other students. Observe whether they help one another, if there is a mix of upper and lower ranks, and whether injuries are taken seriously and promptly treated. Finding a school in your area may take some time. Start by word of mouth. Other places to look include community centers, your local YMCA or YWCA, and local colleges.
Some schools hold classes exclusively for women.
In addition, martial arts supply stores can provide good recommendations for a newbie. It gave me such great inner strength. I was so shy before, and now I'm able to speak up. I can't wait until I earn my black belt. I want to become an instructor and teach all the girls out there that they can do anything they want.