Guild Esports has launched its No Room for Abuse campaign ©Guild Esports

Guild Esports has partnered with Sky UK to launch the No Room for Abuse campaign which aims to champion inclusive gaming environments.

It is doing this by raising awareness of gender-based verbal harassment facing female gamers playing online.

Sky has provided the funding for the campaign's promotional activity that will run across social media channels.

The support is in addition to Sky's existing contractual agreements as Guild's official premier partner.

The social media campaign, using the hashtag "#NoRoomForAbuse", was launched following an influencer and media launch event at the Sky Guild Gaming Centre.

"Improving opportunities for women in esports is a key commitment of our partnership with Sky," said Guild Esports chief executive Jasmine Skee.

"While there’s still work to be done, we’re proud to be at the forefront of fostering greater female participation in the sector and creating an inclusive gaming community."

Skee added: "We hope that by raising awareness of the abuse affecting female gamers through our #NoRoomForAbuse campaign, alongside a collective effort of support and education, we can make real progress in creating a better gaming experience for all."

Influential esports figures Elz the Witch, Stephanie Ijoma, Sunpi and Danielle Udogaranya have begun releasing content across their social media channels to raise awareness for the campaign.

A study of more than 4,000 people found that 49 per cent of female gamers experienced abuse or harassment when playing online, which rose to 75 per cent for those aged 18-24.

Around 35 per cent of those surveyed said they had received violent messages, and 80 per cent said the messages are often sexual in nature while 27 per cent feared being attacked in real life following threats made on gaming platform.

This led to a quarter experiencing feelings of depression and more than 10 per cent had suicidal thoughts.

"As women, the abuse we receive on a daily basis is simply unacceptable, which is why campaigns like this are so important to challenge the gaming community to become part of the change," said Ijoma.

"It's crucial that we work together in making the online gaming world safer for women as there is absolutely no room for abuse."