Baroness Newlove added that “reliving the crime” of sexual abuse in court “can be traumatic enough” for victims.

“Distress for victims can be exacerbated” if they then have to endure their sexual history being dragged through the courts, she said.

Section 41 came to national prominence during Ched Evans’ 2016 re-trial, in which he was found not guilty of raping a teenager. In that case, Evans’ accuser was grilled at length about what she liked to do during sex, who she had had sex with before and after meeting Evans, and the language she used in bed.

At the time, women’s groups and campaigners condemned the court’s decision to allow the woman to be interrogated in this manner. Many people expressed fears that other victims of sexual crimes would be deterred from reporting sexual crimes as a result.

UK rape victims are having their sexual histories questioned in court