Assaulted? If you call getting punched off a bike, pushed off a bridge into a river, beer cans thrown at you and drivers swerving to run one off the road then yes all of the above. But that was 40 years ago. We have it good today on that front in my opinion. The problem today is primarily the distracted drivers. I have not encountered any physical threat while riding in years.
Have I defended myself? I've only had to defend myself from mean farm dogs. The cars and trucks that pushed me off the road years ago just kept going.
I would never choose to ride a route where there is a high likelihood that I would be assaulted.