No, I did not live a sheltered life. I don't think a sheltered girl would encounter men who would message her things like "Hey baby" and "Wanna F***?", like what happened to me.
I was not suggesting that women should not have family and friends around to protect them, I was just saying that it is not strictly necessary in every circuмstance, since it is not always possible. Many women do not have this protection, so knowing ways to protect themselves is important. Forgive me for being unclear about that.
These days we have self-defense tools and common sense, I agree.