This article contains references to child sexual abuse
For sexual assault survivors, the process of pressing charges and going through court can be lengthy, complex and often traumatising.
It's something advocates Jarad Grice and Harrison James are trying to change.
This week, their Your Reference Ain't Relevant campaign will be tabled in NSW parliament, meaning they're one step closer to a parliamentary debate and legislative change.
The campaign aims to remove the provision of good character references from cases of child sexual abuse.
How are character references used in court?
Good character references can be used to reduce a person's sentence if they are convicted of a crime.
However, in cases of child sex abuse, character references can't be used if a paedophile's character assisted them in committing the abuse.
For example, if priests, teachers or scout leaders are found to have committed sexual abuse in their capacity as community leaders, that rule generally applies.
But in other cases of child sex abuse - including those involving relatives or family friends - good character references can be used.
Your Reference Ain't Relevant wants to see the last 21 words of a 1999 statute changed, which they see as creating a "loophole".
"It's creating this real double standard for victims that are going through what is already a traumatic experience in court," James said.
"They're fighting these battles and then at the end, they have to sit there and hear how good a person their perpetrator is ... it's really disheartening."
James says it's a "glaring issue" in the legal system that leads to child sexual abuse survivors facing "even more suffering".
"Our position as a campaign is that [character references] shouldn't matter," James said.
"A paedophile is not a good character at all."
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and her philanthropic organisation, the Grace Tame Foundation, are publicly backing the campaign.
The foundation has been calling for consistent child sexual abuse laws across the country and in an open letter Tame said the foundation "fully supports" the campaign.
"Perpetrators of child sexual abuse are protected by outdated and inconsistent legislation, enabling them to operate in silence and secrecy," she wrote.
James began looking into the legislation after hearing about an acquaintance's case where character references had been applied.
He pitched the idea to Grice, who came on board, and the two began meeting with lawyers and putting together a petition.
On 11 May, they officially launched their campaign and petition, which gained 4,340 signatures before it closed.
Greens MP Abigail Boyd presented the campaign to state parliament on 26 May, and crossbenchers Emma Hurst and Jeremy Buckingham have provided letters of support.
On 26 July, James had a meeting with NSW Attorney-General Michael Daley and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison.
The meeting was also attended by Tara Hunter and Emily Dale from Full Stop Australia, a support service for people impacted by sexual, domestic or family violence.
After the meeting, Daley asked the Department of Communities and Justice to commence a review of the legislation.
On Tuesday, Boyd will table the petition in NSW parliament, where James and Grice will be present.
James says that, for him and Grice, the campaign is about "more than just changing legislation", and they hope it will lead to a change in societal attitudes.
"It's about the government showcasing to victims and survivors of this really heinous crime that we're in your corner here and we want to help you go through this process," he said.
"This is one small thing that we can do amongst the plethora of things to ensure safety for victims and survivors ... it will challenge a sort of societal mindset that's out there at the moment."
If their campaign is successful, they hope to pursue similar changes across Australia and ensure legislation is consistent in all jurisdictions.
Harri's story
In March 2022, James posted a video on Instagram titled 'My sexual assault story', in which he alleged he was molested by his stepmother from the age of 13 to 16.
He said it was not until years later that he realised he had been abused and eventually told his family.
Harrison James says character references should not be considered in the sentencing of any child sex abuse cases.
She returned to her home country and James was never able to press charges.
In the years that followed, James became suicidal and eventually checked himself into a rehabilitation facility.
After taking time out to work on himself, he decided to share his story and began doing advocacy work to try and help others in similar situations.
"I know firsthand the sort of isolation and fear that can come with such a traumatic experience and my personal journey of being a victim to becoming an advocate was fuelled by a desire to break the silence and empower others to share their story," he said.
"I realised that transforming my pain into purpose is a way to not only heal just myself, but countless others who have faced sort of similar horrors."
James says he believes it is important for campaigns like Your Reference Ain't Relevant to be led by people with lived experience.
"I think as survivors we have an authenticity that you can't replicate, he said.
"Our voices are rooted in truth, and that's what makes them resonate with others who have gone through similar experiences."
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
