Most enquiries to date have been related to finding good martial art and kickboxing clubs to train with. There are thousands of martial art clubs in the UK now, but not all seem to welcome women. If you want an idea of how a woman will get on in a particular martial arts club or style, see what proportion of students are female, and how long they have been training.
Some people use the terms martial art and self-defence interchangeably.
BUT, they are not the same thing. Good self-defence instructors will also cover training in assertive communication, body language, and personal space, as well as legal issues. Some martial arts have Governing Bodies in this country, some of these are recognised by the Sports Council, some are not.