Many women who rely on public transportation are rethinking taking it following the violent attack on the Chicago Transportation Authority's Blue Line train this week.

Self-defense experts said that despite the attack, they can still depend on it and stay safe.

Experts said what happened at the Clark and Lake stop on Monday night is rare, and that more often than not, women know the attacker. They said there are tools on the train cars and common defense techniques they want women to keep in mind.

For many commuters, the "L" is the only form of transportation they can depend on for convenience and price.

"Sometimes when I get off work because I have no other choice, or to Uber, but that racks up too," said rider Destri Pledge.

Babs Dwyer and MB Ludwig are also regulars on public transportation.

"I take the L a lot when it's dark out and it's kind of scary, but it's kind of been like this, I hate to say," Dwyer said.

"Pepper spray for sure and then a knife if you got it, ladies," Pledge said.

There are tools women can carry, but there are other defense methods Ryan Libel, executive director at the Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center, said women should remember.

 "Anytime we have a victim of violence, we must stress, nothing that they have done brought that on themselves," he said.

He, along with his team, runs self-defense workshops for women around the city. Libel said they teach the five fingers of defense:

• Think — Be aware of people nearby and trust your gut.
• Yell
• Run — Get out of there if you think a situation is bad.
• Fight — If you can.
• Tell — Talk about what happened afterward to help heal.

But on Monday night's Blue Line train, court documents said Lawrence Reed, the man charged, came up from behind the victim.

So how do you deal with the things you can't see behind you?

"The idea of complying until you can possibly escape or resist is one option," Libel said.

He said there was little this victim could have done. She did run away, but what happened to her, he said, was unusual and unfortunate. 

"We just have to send our heart out to this woman, who I am sure did her very best in a very bad situation," he said.

The CTA said each train car is equipped with a button by the doors that connects to the intercom system. Passengers can press that in an emergency, get off at the next stop, and/or alert CTA employees.