🔗 Share this article

Male chauvinism in Mexico is so deeply rooted that not one the president is safe,” stated a professor and feminist, voicing a sentiment echoed by many women across the nation. This follows after a widely circulated footage showed a intoxicated man molesting Claudia Sheinbaum as she walked from the National Palace to the education ministry. Sheinbaum, who has pressed charges against the perpetrator, commented at a media conference: “When this happens to the president, what happens to all the other women in the country?”

Historic Situation Sheds Light on Pervasive Sexual Harassment

Sheinbaum’s historic role has turned this into a learning opportunity in a culture where unwanted advances and assault on public spaces and buses and trains are often normalized and dismissed. At the same time, political opponents have alleged the assault was staged to shift focus from the recently murder of a city leader, Carlos Manzo. Yet, the majority of women understand that sexual violence doesn’t need staged—research indicate that 50% of women in Mexico have experienced it at one time or another in their lifetimes.

Navigating Accessibility and Safety

Sheinbaum, like her predecessor, is recognized for wading into crowds, greeting people, and taking photos. It was during such an encounter that she was assaulted. “It’s a fragile equilibrium between ensuring security and being close to the public,” noted a sociologist specializing in cultural studies. For a female president, it’s a stark realization that you often can’t win.

“For people brought up in a very traditional manner where male-dominated systems are accepted, a woman such as the president, who is a scientist and a leftist, embodies all that macho men in the country hate,” the sociologist explained.

Shared Experiences of Assault and Resistance

Gender-based violence is not limited to Mexico, of course. Discussing the president’s ordeal unleashed a flood of memories and shared stories among women. As the expert spoke about urging her students to react when assaulted, she heard about firsthand experiences, such as a case where a woman was violated on two occasions during a religious pilgrimage. In a similar vein, accounts of resisting—like physically confronting a groper in a club—underscore a increasing global movement of women rejecting to remain passive.

Shattering Taboos and Channeling Outrage

Maybe this event will mark a turning point for Mexican women. “We have been challenging the silence, but it’s very tough,” the sociologist stated. “A lot of women feel ashamed, but now we are able to talk about it with greater openness.” The expert routinely discusses with her students the precautions she takes when leaving home, such as considering attire to avoid unwanted advances. And she poses a question to her male students: “Have you ever considered about that?” Their response is invariably no.

Now, after the president’s violation recorded on video and viewed globally, will Mexican men begin to think differently? Cardona urges everyone: “It’s essential to embrace the anger!”

A key point is clear: The individuals who fight back make their assailants remember.