Concern as high amount of cases failing to be prosecuted

Scottish Women’s Aid has criticised the low level of prosecutions arising from revenge porn cases.

Less than half of the cases passed to police lead to prosecutions.

Some 225 complaints were reported to Police Scotland between July and September 2017 with just 89, or 39%, being referred to the courts.

Susan Jack, training and development worker with Glasgow's Women's Aid, said she was "disappointed to see such low levels of detections and convictions, particularly when this is compared with the number of reported incidents of revenge porn."

She added: "This is a crime where you would naturally assume evidence would be relatively easy to gather.

"One would hope that those hosting sites such as Facebook would be proactive in assisting the police with evidence gathering.

"Like so many crimes, it must be extremely difficult to come forward and extremely demoralising if the complaint does not progress."

New revenge porn laws came into effect last summer making it an offence to disclose, or threaten to disclose, intimate images or video without consent.

Those convicted face five years in prison.

Justice secretary Michael Matheson said: "The impact of sharing intimate images can be hugely damaging and there is no place for it in our society.

"That is why the Scottish government brought forward legislation so those convicted of disclosing, or threatening to disclose, an intimate photograph or film may receive a custodial sentence of up to five years imprisonment.

"Whilst the investigation of crime is for Police Scotland, we will continue to work with our partners to make sure victims have access to the swiftest and most effective process possible."