Self-defense classes can be very empowering. I used to teach one, but I geared it more towards women and children who had already been assaulted. I turned my classes into support groups basically, with everyone reframing whatever attack they dealt with. They learned specifics on how to get out of various attacks, but it inevitably went back to "but what if they do...?" which was usually what they had succumbed to in a previous attack. Everyone loved my classes, I miss teaching those.
By all means find one and take it, but be advised that there will be actual physical contact made throughout the class. You will have to hit and kick, be grabbed or an attempt to grab will be made, and its all necessary to the learning process. Do some research and find a class that you will be comfortable in, INTERVIEW the instructor and make sure the person is not a douche (I've met plenty of those!). Some police departments hold seminars, or you can check with various martial art schools in your area.
The most important aspect to look at is personal comfort and practicality. Some self-defense approaches work better than others, but my take is "SOME training is better than nothing". Make sure the instructor knows if you're having difficulty with a particular move, and be prepared to need to take a step back and slow down on the actual practice portion. I had one student, an older female, who had PTSD but she still insisted on taking our martial arts class. My instructor triggered the crap out of her every time we did techniques, and even if I did them she'd freeze! I had to ground her and be very gentle with grabs until she learned to do that for herself and get comfortable with me grabbing her (I was constantly having to step between her and the instructor, because he loved to push too hard).
All this to say, by all means find a class and get some training! but research and be prepared for what you're getting into. Don't just take the first class you see available, shop around. You're worth the extra effort of learning in a safe and comfortable environment. Good luck!
