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Male chauvinism in Mexico is so deeply rooted that not even the president is safe,” stated Caterina Camastra, voicing a feeling echoed by numerous women across the country. This comes after a viral video showed a drunk man groping Claudia Sheinbaum as she strolled from the presidential residence to the education ministry. The president, who has pressed charges against the assailant, commented at a media conference: “When this happens to the leader, what occurs to all the other women in the country?”

Historic Situation Sheds Light on Pervasive Gender-Based Violence

Sheinbaum’s unprecedented position has made this a teaching moment in a society where unwanted advances and assault on public spaces and public transport are often normalized and not taken seriously. Meanwhile, rival factions have claimed the assault was orchestrated to shift focus from the recently assassination of a local mayor, Carlos Manzo. Yet, the majority of women know that sexual violence doesn’t need manufactured—research indicate that 50% of women in Mexico have experienced it at some point in their lives.

Balancing Public Engagement and Safety

Sheinbaum, like her predecessor, is known for wading into crowds, greeting people, and taking photos. It was during one such interaction that she was groped. “It’s a fragile equilibrium between being safe and maintaining proximity to the public,” explained Ishtar Cardona. For a woman leader, it’s a stark reminder that you often can’t win.

“For people raised in a deeply conservative manner where male-dominated systems are accepted, a female leader like Sheinbaum, who is a academic and a leftist, embodies all that macho men in Mexico hate,” the sociologist elaborated.

Shared Experiences of Violation and Resistance

Gender-based violence is not unique to Mexico, of course. Discussing the president’s ordeal unleashed a wave of recollections and exchanged stories among female individuals. When Cardona mentioned urging her pupils to react when assaulted, she heard about personal incidents, such as one where a woman was assaulted twice during a holy journey. In a similar vein, stories of resisting—like physically confronting a assailant in a club—underscore a increasing global movement of females refusing to stay silent.

Shattering Taboos and Channeling Outrage

Maybe this event will mark a turning point for women across Mexico. “For about a decade, we’ve been challenging the silence, but it’s incredibly difficult,” the sociologist remarked. “Many women feel embarrassed, but now we are able to talk about it with greater openness.” The expert routinely discusses with her class the precautions she takes when leaving home, such as thinking about clothing to avoid harassment. She asks a query to her male students: “Have you ever thought about that?” Their response is always no.

Now, after the president’s violation captured on video and viewed globally, will men in Mexico start to think differently? The sociologist urges all: “It’s essential to embrace the anger!”

One thing is clear: Those who fight back make their assailants remember.