Is it safe for women to hike alone?

Asked by Sunshinegirl11 (1110) January 22nd, 2017 from iPhone

So I’m a 21 year old female and I love hiking! Problem is, my female friends aren’t too big on it, my mom and sister aren’t too big on it. My dad likes it, but he’s very busy and rarely has time.

I live in the foothills so I normally hike around my city and I haven’t run into anyone crazy. I’m interested in hiking way up in the mountains though. I’d love to go snowshoeing in the snow through the forest. If I keep waiting for someone to go with me, I’ll be waiting for the rest of my life! But all I have is a papillon dog and pepper spray, so I’m not really “protected”. There is also no way I’d be able to defend myself, I have zero upper body strength. This all makes me nervous to venture too far from my house…

Opinions? Advice?
Thanks all!