María
Peinador González
Welcome! I am María Peinador González, Criminologist and PhD Candidate in Law from the King Juan Carlos University, specialized in the international protection of Human Rights and Children’s Rights; expert in the study and fight against Human Trafficking.
For as long as I can remember, all my actions and life development have revolved around helping others, specifically focusing on especially vulnerable groups such as minors and women. At the early age of 11 I decided I wanted to study Criminology, and at 14 I started doing different volunteer programs in the city where I was born, Madrid.
I graduated as a Criminologist in 2018, having developed the four years of my degree at the King Juan Carlos University, to then pursue a Master in Needs, Rights and Development Cooperation in Childhood by the Autonomous University of Madrid and UNICEF, followed by another Master in International Protection of Human Rights by the University of Alcala. In addition to having a University Expert in Management of Non-Profit Organizations by the UNED and several training courses related to these subjects, I am currently developing my PhD in Law at the same university that trained me as a criminologist, with a doctoral thesis entitled “Comparative study of the victimological profile in / of women and girls victims of trafficking: patterns in the material means of crime according to their geographical area of origin”.
Despite this, I have learned far more from Individuals who have crossed my path than I ever did in the classroom, and who, without considering themselves extraordinary, kept a world of wisdom inside them. I have spent the years of my academic training traveling around the world in search of social entities and people who needed a little of my help, receiving unparalleled learning from all of them; because if there is something I like almost as much as helping, is learning and letting myself be taught.
The field in which I have focused my entire professional career has been in human trafficking, whose relationship began to be forged at the end of my first year of my career in Thailand. While on a stay in International Cooperation in an orphanage located in Chiang Rai, I witnessed how several child predators approached the facilities with the intention of capturing some of the girls in order to sexually exploit them. From that moment on, my interest in this crime overshadowed any other inclination within my career as a criminologist and I focused on studying it on my own, training myself in a self-taught manner. In the following years I had the opportunity to continue volunteering in different orphanages located in hot spots and large trafficking areas in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand for several months, as well as to travel to more than a dozen countries in the region training and researching the development of this crime, in places like the Philippines, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, Indonesia, China, etc.
My deep interest and commitment to human trafficking and its victims has resulted in a broad knowledge of it, not only through the theoretical framework, but by obtaining an empirical knowledge base focused on the experiences gained through my various stays in Asia. In this field my main interest has always been directed towards the study and development of the phenomenon on a global scale, and the protection measures for its victims: identification, prevention and reintegration of women, girls and boys.
During the last decade I have worked in different social entities dedicated to the eradication and assistance to victims of trafficking, I have conducted training courses on this subject in different public and private institutions for more than a dozen professional profiles, participating as a speaker at conferences and national and international congresses on the subject, and I have been able to develop researches that shed light on the dark reality of this crime. Currently, I am a technician for the National Program against Human Trafficking in Spain for the Women’s Institute (attached to the Ministry of Equality and the Secretary of State for Equality and against Gender Violence), through TragsaTec.
WHAT DEFINES
MY WORK? ?
My passion for the humanitarian world, my firm belief in change, and my deep commitment to ensure the protection of the rights of women and children around the world. I work every day to develop projects and institutions that improve people’s lives.
WHAT IS MY
PROFESSIONAL GOAL?
My professional goal is to continue ensuring the protection of vulnerable groups in all countries around the world, making visible the serious crime of human trafficking and the harsh repercussions it has on its victims, and giving a voice to all women and children who, at some point, have been deprived of it.
EDUCATION
PhD in Law
Thesis: “Comparative study of the victimological profile in / of women and girls victims of trafficking: patterns in the material means of crime according to their geographical area of origin”
Expert in Management of Non-Profit Organizations
Master International Protection of Human Rights
Master's Final Project: “Surrogacy and human trafficking: triple framework of exploitation”
Master in Childhood Needs, Rights and Development Cooperation
Master's Final Project: “Child Trafficking in the Mekong Subregion: Development, Identification and Reintegration.”
Degree in Criminology
Degree’s Final Project: “Human trafficking: approaching the phenomenon in Southeast Asia.”
Design of human and child rights protection programs related to the identification, analysis and prevention of human trafficking victims.
Elaboration of reports related to the violation of human and children’s rights in the field of human trafficking for different exploitation purposes.
Development of training materials related to the study and fight against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the international sphere.
AREAS IN WHICH I HAVE DEVELOPED MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Direct assistance to victims of different crimes, especially to victims of human trafficking: women and minors.
Coordination, technical development and auditing of social projects focused on the areas of women, children and justice.
Coordination of social entities: general coordination, coordination of the entity’s management area, coordination of the projects area.
Beyond the professional
Although I enjoy my professional life very much and I can consider myself very fortunate to dedicate myself to what I am passionate about, outside of work I am still a person eager to learn, experience and live fully what life offers me.
Over time I consider that I have managed to find the perfect balance between my adventurous side, and my side flooded with calm. The former led me, from the age of 18, to travel the world with myself and a backpack as my only companion; the latter enjoys the days at home, with 80’s music, my cats, and a big cup of tea.
I read practically everything I can get my hands on, I have a deep admiration for Vincent Van Gogh and his art, I have collected snow globes for as long as I can remember (yes, I have one for each of the 40 countries I have been to), I love making gifts, and there are always flowers in my house. I enjoy simple things made from the heart.
