Since 1997 just 24 of more than 600 rapes reported in Tayside have resulted in a conviction.

Laurie Matthew, co-ordinator of Eighteen And Under in Dundee, said survivors of rape are being let down by the criminal justice system.

“It’s shocking,” she said.

“There hasn’t been any real improvement and a lot more needs to be done to help survivors come to terms with it. Survivors are being let down.

“To go through all that and to report it to the police in itself is quite a traumatic thing to do.

“It takes a lot of courage, but it’s not exactly reassuring when you read those figures, because statistically, nothing’s going to happen and nobody’s going to be convicted.

“I would say it would discourage people, which is a real pity because we need to encourage more survivors to come forward.”

Laurie has worked since 1994 with children who have been abused.

Eighteen and Under has helped some children bring their abusers to court, but equally, they are there to offer sympathy and advice.

“The vast majority of young folk don’t go forward and we work hard trying to encourage them.

“But we have to be truthful and tell them that statistically nothing will happen.”

Ms Matthew now wants MSPs to speak to survivors to examine why so many cases are being dropped and what can be done to encourage more rape victims to report their ordeal.

Dundee-based Green MSP Shiona Baird, a member of the parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee, is calling for Executive action to address the situation.

“These figures are truly appalling,” she said.

“While there have been some changes to make the process of reporting rape more tolerable, it’s clear there is still a long way to go in terms of prosecution.”

The Crown Office insists that rape and sexual assault remain difficult to prosecute because there are rarely witnesses and cases often came down to one person’s version of events against another’s.