Domestic violence occurs more often in Berkeley and Warrawong, while malicious damage to property happens more in Woonona and Fairy Meadow.
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Alcohol related violence hotspots include the Wollongong CBD, Dapto and Unanderra, and stealing from cars happens most in suburbs, including Bulli, Corrimal and Mount Ousley.
A new analysis from Wollongong City Council shows where and when major crimes are being committed, as well as the city's state ranking in 13 crime categories.
The figures are part of the councils new community safety plan, which will go out on public exhibition later this month.
The plan includes heat maps for most crime categories, with the population centres of Wollongong CBD and central suburbs like Mangerton and North Wollongong highlighted as hot spots in a majority of cases.
By outlining the details of major crimes and setting goals to reduce their impact, the council said it would be able to apply for funding from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice to help the community feel safer.
Over the last two years, 54 per cent of people surveyed by the council said they felt unsafe in public, with one survey showing that those who felt unsafe had either witnessed or experienced crime.
These crimes included having their cars broken into, an attempted home invasion, stalking, verbal abuse and harassment, sexual abuse or harassment, hearing domestic violence, assault and retail theft.
In NSW rankings, the worst (highest) ranked crime was retail theft, for which Wollongong is listed 18th in the state and the best (lowest) was domestic violence for which city city ranked 77th.
However, the council said domestic violence remained one of the most concerning crimes for the city, with 686 incidents reported in 2019.
There were also hot spots, including Berkeley, Warrawong, Koonawarra and Bellambi, which had a much higher incidence - in some cases 150 per cent higher - of domestic violence than the NSW average.
The council has also flagged that domestic assault remains under reported, and hopes to see an increase in reports between now and 2025 by promoting support services and raise awareness about gendered crime.
Non-domestic assault rates in Wollongong have declined by 4.5 per cent a year over the past 10 years, with alcohol-related incidents dropping by 7.8 per cent per year in the same period.
About a third of all non-domestic assaults were linked to alcohol in 2019, and they were most likely to occur in the city, as well as in Dapto, Warrawong, Bellambi, Port Kembla and Berkeley.
In 2019, the most common times for non-domestic assault to occur was Saturday and Sunday between 6pm and midnight, and on Wednesday mornings, the strategy says.
In contrast, Wollongong residents were most likely to have their car broken into on Tuesdays, with Bulli, Woonona, Corrimal, Bellambi, Towradgi, Wollongong, Dapto, Port Kembla, Primbee, Windang, Koonawarra and Mount Ousley all listed as problem areas.
Malicious damage to property, which included graffiti attacks, occurred mostly on a Saturday night, with residential premises targeted in more than half the attacks.
Central Wollongong had an incident rate of more than double the state average, and other hotspots included Woonona, Bellambi, Fairy Meadow, Figtree, Berkeley, Warrawong and Dapto.
Fraud, which has grown by 5.2 per cent per year over a 10 year period, is also considered a major crime category for Wollongong. It is most likely to occur on a Monday afternoon, the council said, with July and September the peak months for fraud crime in 2019.
Assault helplines
If you are a victim of domestic and family violence, there is help available.
- For information, support and help, call the 24 hour Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63.
- Anyone in immediate danger should call Triple Zero (000).
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24 hours), www.lifeline.org.au
- Mensline Australia:1300 789 978, www.mensline.org.au