An investigation into women’s experiences of gaming online has revealed that one in 10 has felt suicidal as a result of online abuse.
Of the 4000 female gamers surveyed by Sky Broadband, 49 per cent report having been abused or harrassed when streaming or playing online, although this rises to 75 per cent for women aged 18-24.
80 per cent of those affected by online abuse confirmed that the messages and comments were sexual in nature, and 35 per cent was violent.
The results further confirmed that one in four women – 25 per cent – “admitted to feeling depressed”, 27 per cent were concerned the threats could translate into real-life attacks, and 40 per cent had been personally threatened. 25 per cent of respondents said they would not report the abuse, and 31 per cent of female players say they have lied about their gender online in order to remain inconspicuous and avoid attention.