One in seven female students has been a victim of a serious sexual or physical assault.

A study by the National Union of Students (NUS) asked 2,000 female students for their experiences of assault and made some startling findings.

One in four had been subjected to an unwanted sexual experience while at university or college, with seven percent saying they had been seriously sexually assaulted. Of those, five percent said they had been raped while two percent said they were the victim of attempted rape.

Just 10 percent who had been seriously sexually assaulted had reported it to the police: 50 percent felt ashamed or embarrassed and 43 percent said they thought they would be blamed for what happened.

The report also revealed in 60 percent of cases of sexual assault or stalking, the perpetrator was also a student.

NUS Women's Officer, Olivia Bailey, said: "It is extremely disturbing that so many women students are assaulted and harassed while at university or college, and it is particularly worrying that the perpetrators in many of these cases are fellow students.

"Women students can be left feeling like they are to blame for the violence committed against them. Clearly, not enough is being done to encourage women students to report all instances of assault or harassment to their institutions or to the police.

"This report is a wake-up call. Universities and colleges must work more closely with local police, victim support services and health services in order to give victims the security and confidence to come forward. Institutions must also deal with all reported instances of assault or harassment with the utmost seriousness, so that no students are left in any doubt that such behaviour will not be tolerated."

Sandra Horley OBE, CEO of national domestic violence charity Refuge, added: "I am deeply saddened to hear that so many women students are experiencing violence and harassment during the course of their studies, and that so very few feel able to report the crimes against them.

"It is vital that universities create an environment where women feel confident to speak out against abuse. Women students need to know where they can seek help, and must feel sure that their reports will be taken seriously. Women have the right to enjoy university life, focus on their studies and plan for their futures, without fear of intimidation of violence."