Hey Mel -I'm really sorry to hear about this event - it must have been very frightening. My heart goes out to you.

I wanted to let you know about a self defense course I took many years ago after I was assaulted - it's called Bay Area Model Mugging (www.bamm.org). I think they are still based down on the Peninsula, but thay have courses all over the Bay Area..

For me this course was very effective - both in learning specific and effective techniqus that acknowledge and even take advantage of how most women are built compared to men (e.g. lower center of gravity, greater lower body strength than upper body strength) and in learning how to channel the anger and especially the fear from my experience into strength.

I was always afraid that my fear would forever incapacitate me, and that I would never not be afraid, but what I learned and proved to myself was that the fear is also an enormous source of power. I'm sure I'll be afraid if I am ever attacked again, but I'm not so afraid of the fear anymore, if that makes any sense. All the women in my class had been assaulted or seriously threatened by either strangers, dates, or family. Several friends of mine took the course after I did and it had a similar positive impact on them.

I don't know if any of this will be useful to you, but if you'd like more info, please feel free to PM me - I took the course 16 years ago, but from the website, it looks like they are using the same approach now as then.
Take care of yourself and stay safe! Like the other women said - YOU ARE NOT ALONE!