President Assaulted in Public View, Sparking Countrywide Protest from Women in Mexico
“Machismo in Mexico is so pervasive that not one the head of state is safe,” stated a professor and feminist, voicing a sentiment echoed by numerous women across the nation. This follows after a viral video showed a drunk man groping the country’s first female president as she strolled from the National Palace to the department of education. Sheinbaum, who has pressed charges against the perpetrator, remarked at a media conference: “When this happens to the leader, what happens to every other women in the nation?”
Unprecedented Situation Highlights on Pervasive Gender-Based Violence
Sheinbaum’s unprecedented role has made this a learning opportunity in a society where sexual harassment and physical violation on streets and buses and trains are often normalized and not taken seriously. Meanwhile, political opponents have claimed the incident was staged to divert attention from the recently assassination of a city leader, a critic of organized crime. However, the majority of women know that sexual violence doesn’t need manufactured—research indicate that 50% of Mexican women have experienced it at one time or another in their lifetimes.
Navigating Public Engagement and Safety
Sheinbaum, similar to her predecessor, is known for mixing with the public, greeting people, and taking photos. It was during one such encounter that she was assaulted. “This is a delicate equilibrium between being safe and being close to the people,” noted Ishtar Cardona. As a woman leader, it’s a stark realization that frequently face no-win situations.
“For people raised in a very traditional way where male-dominated systems are accepted, a female leader like Sheinbaum, who is a scientist and a progressive, embodies everything traditional males in the country despise,” Cardona explained.
Shared Stories of Assault and Fighting Back
Gender-based violence is not unique to this nation, of course. Talking about the leader’s ordeal opened a wave of recollections and shared accounts among female individuals. When Cardona mentioned advising her pupils to react when assaulted, she heard about personal experiences, such as a case where a woman was violated twice during a religious pilgrimage. Similarly, accounts of fighting back—like physically confronting a groper in a nightspot—highlight a increasing worldwide movement of females refusing to stay silent.
Shattering Silence and Embracing Outrage
Perhaps this incident will represent a turning point for women across Mexico. “We have been challenging the silence, but it’s incredibly difficult,” the sociologist stated. “Many women are ashamed, but now we are able to talk about it with greater openness.” The expert often discusses with her class the measures she employs when leaving home, such as thinking about attire to avoid harassment. She poses a question to her male pupils: “Did you ever thought about that?” The answer is invariably no.
Today, after the president’s assault recorded on film and viewed globally, can Mexican men start to think differently? Cardona encourages all: “You have to harness the anger!”
One thing is evident: The individuals who fight back leave a lasting impression.
