Tomorrow is Not Today

She was three years old the first time someone she trusted hurt her.

Adriana Jones grew up in Guatemala and later moved to Australia, where she now works in cybersecurity, using open source intelligence to find people trying to harm children before they get the chance. Her path here wasn't planned. It came after surviving her own abuse, losing her sister without warning, and watching the justice system fail her when she tried to get answers.

In this conversation, Adriana takes us through what it's actually like inside the mind of a predator, the warning signs most parents miss, and why Australia's Working With Children Check only catches a small fraction of offenders. She also talks about what it took to build the Innocent Souls Project, and why she decided prevention mattered more to her than waiting on a system that had already let her down once.

This episode covers heavy material, including child sexual abuse and its lasting effects. If you or someone you know has been affected, support is available through 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Bravehearts (1800 272 831).

(00:00) Take me into the mind of a perpetrator
 (02:00) Welcome Adriana Jones
 (03:00) From Guatemala to Australia
 (05:00) Taught to finish with excellence
 (07:00) Losing her sister
 (09:00) Deciding to act
 (11:00) Returning to Guatemala for justice
 (13:00) The case is dismissed
 (15:00) The UK childcare cyberattack
 (17:00) Building a movement of experts
 (19:00) The Innocent Souls Foundation is born
 (21:00) Her own abuse, age three to twelve
 (24:00) Do predators have a type
 (27:00) Teaching children to protect themselves
 (30:00) Warning signs every parent should know
 (33:00) Creating space for a child to speak up
 (36:00) Inside the mind of a perpetrator
 (39:00) Why so many Australians have experienced abuse
 (42:00) Why children are targeted
 (45:00) The case that changed everything
 (48:00) It's not about me anymore
 (51:00) Finding gratitude through suffering
 (55:00) How the Innocent Souls Project works
 (58:00) The Working With Children Check gap
 (1:01:00) What's next for the foundation
 (1:04:00) Here I am, use me
 (1:07:00) Advice for anyone who feels called to act
 (1:10:00) Creating a life and a legacy