NEARLY a fifth of women in Scotland have experienced online violence but only 4 per cent would report it to police, according to new research.

The Open University study — the largest ever into online abuse of women and girls in Britain — found that 17 per cent of women in Scotland had experienced violence online, ranging from trolling to threats and unwanted sexual remarks.

The number grew further for younger women (16-24), 27 per cent of whom had this experience, rising further to a staggering 45 per cent for LGBT women.

Of those reporting having been on the receiving end of online violence, 85 per cent said it had impacted them and 61 per cent said it had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing, while one in nine said it had led to real-life violence.

And out of the 2,000 women surveyed, 82 per cent supported changes to Scottish law, with only 4 per cent of women saying they would go to police at present.

The Open University in Scotland’s Susan Stewart said: “For Scotland, the results are extremely sobering and highlight how endemic online violence is and what serious impacts it is having on girls’ and women’s lives and on our society as a whole.”

Catherine Murphy, executive director at feminist campaign group Engender, said: “Violence against women and girls is endemic in Scotland and has devastating physical and psychological consequences, disproportionately impacting women of colour, LGBTQ people, and other marginalised groups.

“The new research from The Open University further confirms this fact.”

The Scottish government said it will legislate in this Parliament to address misogynistic harassment and abuse, both online and offline.