An Albury couple's world shifted forever on October 27, 2013, with the revelation their children had been affected by sexual abuse by a family friend.
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Brent and Michelle Milthorpe learnt from their youngest daughter Rose, 5, of a prolonged pattern of abuse that also impacted their daughter Pippa, then 8.
It was devastating beyond measure.
It also spun the family's world in a different direction in an attempt to seek justice and heal their trauma.
A secondary school teacher, Mrs Milthorpe said the family encountered the failures of a flawed and antiquated legal system from the outset.
It took two-and-a-half years from disclosure of the abuse to the court hearing; Rose had spent one-third of her life waiting for closure.
When the girls gave evidence at trial, it happened in real time and for days on end.
During the proceedings, they often ran into the abuser, and when they were cross-examined, their parents were not allowed to stay in the room.
"Our experience opened our eyes to a flawed and damaging system and made us want to change the justice system for all children," she said.
"As it stood, the process for child witnesses to give evidence in court did not provide equity for children to participate nor demonstrate an appropriate level of care for already traumatised children."
As the trial in Sydney dragged on, the family were forced to live out of suitcases for five weeks.
Ultimately, the offender was convicted of six of eight charges against Pippa but those against Rose were dropped due to her age.
The family returned to the Border but the experience had galvanised in them the need for urgent systemic change.
Every chance she had and during school holidays, Mrs Milthorpe wrote to the Attorney General of NSW, seeking an expansion of the Child Sexual Offences Evidence Program (CSOEP).
Only offered in Sydney and Newcastle then, the program allowed young people to pre-record their evidence including examination, cross-examination and re-examination in front of a judge and lawyers without a jury present.
This was done in a timely manner, allowing victims to move more quickly towards healing.
"The kids never had to go to court," Mrs Milthorpe said.
"In Albury Court, the perpetrator was sitting five metres away from our girls.
"Our family went through a really difficult and re-traumatising experience with the legal process but we were able to use it as a catalyst for change."
Ultimately, the Milthorpes' advocacy efforts were heeded with the expansion of the Child Sexual Offences Evidence Program to every district court and police district in regional NSW in early 2023.
The government invested $64.3 million across four years to expand the program after an independent assessment by the University of NSW found it reduced stress for children and resulted in better evidence.
Mrs Milthorpe said it was a breakthrough for regional survivors of child sexual abuse.
She said in NSW the equivalent of 27 children a day reported being victims of sexual abuse.
"That's a classroom of kids a day," she said.
"Only 4 per cent had access to the pilot (before the change in February 2023).
"It's also important to know we were well resourced and reasonably educated and had a good support network, I don't know how children who didn't have that would have managed the process.
"This change is about being more equitable for the children; it's not about taking away the rights of the accused to a fair trial.
"But it took a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old to speak up to get the nation to listen.
"It's frustrating the people with the knowledge didn't do anything."
Mr and Mrs Milthorpe will share their experiences at the Gateway Health Community Advocacy Panel on Thursday, July 4.
Gateway Health early years health promotion co-ordinator Kat Bennett said it was the third event in a series of community capacity-building events to inspire and empower individuals and communities to advocate for positive change.
"When people think about advocacy they think of politicians," she said.
"But often the big changes we see start with regular people."
Joining the Milthorpes on the panel would be Solange Ntigonza, a passionate advocate for youth mental health, and Albury councillor Jessica Kellahan.
The Community Advocacy Panel event runs at Gateway Health in Wodonga on Thursday, July 4, from 5.30pm.
For more information or to register for the event, visit Humanitix.
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
