As my wife is wont to remind me from time to time I’m a heavily built male ex rugby playing former army officer who practices aikido, and she isn’t. Her perception of risk is very different to mine and so I don’t presume to comment, other than factually, on risk as it might pertain to a woman.
Being big and heavily built henrythedog has visual and strength advantages which would most likely deter anyone who harbours ill intentions except for the brainless, and there are unfortunately, plenty of them.
One does not have to be big or heavily built though as you would well know.
Wing Chun is a martial art that is said to have been developed by a woman in ancient China. Originally, it was designed for women and it still is a very effective martial art as are all the others of course, including Aikido.
When I trained in Wing Chun, people of all shapes and sizes trained as well and it's probably the same for Aikido.
I thus learned never to judge a person by size or build. And I learned that as a skinny 80kgs old fellow, I can be effective when training against big and muscular young guys. Good for the confidence!
Woe help anyone who ever physically picks on some of the most ordinary looking Wing Chun people that I had the pleasure to train with and learn from. You would never be able to pick these people out in the street as trained and competent martial artists.
In all seriousness, we also learned that it is far better to avoid, walk away, de-escalate than to be involved physically, however if physical comes then training should come to the fore instinctively but, seriously, that's a last resort for most martial arts.
There are short courses that are specifically designed for women to learn about self defence techniques.
If I was a woman, planning on walking alone on a Camino (Why not? ... don't let fear hold you back), I would be more confident in myself after having done a course of self defence for women.
Walking on the road is another whole danger, that scares me more. Bed bugs is another one.
In saying that, can't wait to do another Camino post-covid.
Cheers to Mrs Henrythedog!
Graham