OK NeilC but you are a trained Judo expert who usually fights other Judo experts, the average attacker isn't. I can't help but wonder isn't it better to know something rather than nothing? A girl might find she has to fight an attacker. better than knowing nothing? Are these courses really that bad it's better not to bother? With all the self defence experts out there surely some of them have cobbled together something useful? I'd have thought moves to cover the attacker just standing there would be most useful as it's a position he possibly starts off with and may return to (or return to close enough) and doesn’t require lots of if he does X do Y.
I don't know what the one day self defence classes teach and it seems you do so maybe it really is better to know nothing.
I have been involved in martial arts for around four decades and agree with everything Neil says.These quick fix self defence classes might make the student even more vulnerable by giving them a false sense of confidence and suppressing their natural instincts,ie,run in the opposite direction.Boxing and any contact sport is excellent and will get you used to taking blows but even these sports have their limitations due to mainly concentrating on one opponent and not taking in the bigger picture.One of my former neighbours was an ex-pro boxer and he fell foul of this mindset when he was concentrating on the mouthy guy and got sucker punched from the side by his puny mate.Result was a stay in hospital and six plates in his head.Its that easy to get badly hurt in a fight that has no rules and no ref and no limitation on the numbers who might decide to take part.
Eye pokes are good in theory but I have hardly seen any data on their use in the street.How many attackers have been charged with gouging out someone's eyes? I only know of one case and that was by a woman who was mentally ill and she did an unprovoked ambush attack rather than trying to do something once the attack had started.Groin kicks are another fallacy due to nature protecting the groin quite well on males and targeting it when full of adrenaline is very difficult.Biting can be very effective,albeit risky in this day and age due to infection,but if your life is in danger its worth the risk.Women have an advantage here as they can judge the aggressors intentions and if its of a sexual nature lure him in to kiss them.Once in contact with the tongue they can bite through it or target the lower lip.Both areas will cause immense pain,blood loss and panic thus giving a window of opportunity for escape or follow up by biting the nose or ears and ramming thumbs in eyes once the attacker is weakened.Applying these type of techniques takes a fair degree of ruthlessness but if the attacker is dehumanised and seen as an object the job will be easier.
Knives,well forget it.The only real defence is to run like hell in the opposite direction,provided you even see the knife.If the attacker's true intention is to kill or badly hurt you its unlikely you will be aware of what has happened until the attack is over.Someone who shows a knife is using it as a way of control for money,goods or sex etc and it might be possible to walk away in one piece provided they get what they are after.
As for weapons in the countryside the obvious weapon is a large stone,plenty available and no one can prove you didn't pick it up at the time of the attack so no trouble with the law afterwards.CCTV is also unlikely in the countryside.Carry the stone in your dominant hand and use a swinging motion to smash the jaw,temple,eye orbits etc and keep the attack going until enough damage has been done.Just as effective as a knuckle duster and an attacker is unlikely to look at what a woman is carrying in her hand during the interview stage.Its usually facial contact as a way of intimidation.All this is last resort stuff and if you do your homework its highly unlikely you will end up in these type of situations.Gain intel on the areas you are walking in,look on the net for any evidence of attackers operating in the area or any on-going police operations.This is the kind of thing that will protect you rather than buying into twisty-wristy "self defence" classes.