Melbourne woman tracks down alleged attacker using social media

A woman punched in the face by a stranger in Melbourne's CBD has used social media to help police track down her alleged attacker.

Erica Maloney was on her way to a train station when she was bashed out of the blue while leaving a city gym in Flinders Lane at 7.30pm.

"I was absolutely shocked, I mean just crying 'why did this happen?'," Ms Maloney told 9NEWS.

"As I was looking at my phone I was struck out of nowhere." 

An employee at the nearby Holiday Inn came to her aid, and a determined Ms Maloney chased her alleged attacker down King Street and snapped photos of her alleged attacker on her phone.

"I demanded 'why did you hit me?' and his response was 'Do you want a fresh one stupid b---?'," she said. 

Ms Maloney posted a warning on Facebook and Twitter, several other sightings of the man were reported - and he was apprehended.

"I wanted to make sure no one else was put in the situation with the guy," Ms Maloney said.

Police were quick to respond to her calls because they'd already been hunting for the man who allegedly struck another victim in the same area shortly beforehand.

Joe Fowden, a 33-year-old from Queensland, has been charged with seven offences including recklessly and intentionally cause serious injury, unlawful assault and being drunk in public.

He will appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on December 15.