THE most dangerous inner city areas have been revealed as crime statistics shed light on the terrifying number of assaults on our streets.

Popular spots like the Goodwill Bridge, South Bank boardwalk, Wickham Park, Botanic Gardens and Gardens Point campus have all been the scene of multiple bashings investigated by police in the past year.

The Courier-Mail is campaigning for better lighting along paths and parks after the deaths of French student Sophie Collombet and Korean woman Eunji Ban, who were killed in darkened inner-city streets in the past 12 months.

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Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has backed the campaign and committed to auditing any areas of concern raised through the newspaper.

Police statistics reveal that in the past year there were more than 1000 assaults across the inner city.

Examples along popular pedestrian areas include two assaults on the Goodwill Bridge, eight bashings along the South Bank boardwalk as well as a cluster of assaults around the Grey St end of South Bank.

At Fortitude Valley, outside the hotspot of Brunswick Street Mall, James, Morgan, McLachlan and Duncan streets all proved to be troublesome areas.

There were five assaults at Wickham Park in the past 12 months, another five at QUT Gardens Point campus and two at the Botanic Gardens.

Premier Campbell Newman – who as Brisbane lord mayor in 2005 said he would not feel comfortable if his wife was alone in the CBD late at night – backed the campaign to light up the city.

“We will do whatever we can to support local authorities in ensuring action is taken to identify and deal with trouble spots,” he said.

Cr Quirk said it was “critical” for residents to let the appropriate authorities, like the council, know about safety issues around broken or insufficient lighting so they could take the appropriate action.

“As a city government, we’re always keen to get feedback from the people of the city and to investigate,” Cr Quirk said.

“Any suggestions we get will be built into a program of (safety) auditing.”

He said Brisbane was still mostly a safe city, but that people needed to be aware of the dangers.

“Despite the recent murders we’ve seen in this city the general statistics around assaults have been positive,” he said.

Council Opposition leader Milton Dick said committing to the safety audit was the first step, but council also had to identify priority areas for new lighting, CCTV cameras and panic buttons.

“The Lord Mayor must guarantee that he will listen to the safety experts and implement the recommendations of the safety audit,” he said.

If you know of an area that needs better lighting, email us at letters@couriermail.com.au

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media_camera Malliree Reilly was sexually assaulted in June 2012 and began self-defence classes soon after. Picture: Anthony Weate

ASSAULT VICTIM NOW PACKS HER OWN PUNCH

A VICTIM of sexual assault has urged Brisbane women to take steps to protect themselves after dark.

Malliree Reilly, 26, of The Gap, was sexually assaulted in June 2012 and began self-defence classes soon after to help her cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.

“It took me a long time to be able to go out at night again but it was reassuring to know that I had the skills to be able to prevent something from happening to me again,” she said.

Police statistics reveal that there have been more than 1000 assaults and five murders in inner Brisbane during the past year.

“I think the city is unpredictable and while it’s safer than some cities, I always know there’s a chance that something could happen,” Ms Reilly said.

Director of Fightcross Gyms Ross Cameron, who has been running women’s self-defence classes for years, said many people mistakenly believed they were safe.

“People assume that it’s safe everywhere but it’s not,” he said. “ They just don’t see the reality.”

Ms Reilly said no one was safe after dark.

“We have to accept that there are people out there who are capable of doing bad things and will take advantage of a woman by herself at night,” she said.