🔗 Share this article

“Machismo in the nation is so deeply rooted that not even the head of state is safe,” declared a professor and feminist, expressing a sentiment echoed by numerous women throughout the nation. This follows after a widely circulated footage showed a intoxicated man groping Claudia Sheinbaum as she strolled from the National Palace to the department of education. Sheinbaum, who has filed a complaint against the perpetrator, remarked at a media conference: “When this happens to the leader, what occurs to every other women in the nation?”

Historic Situation Highlights on Widespread Gender-Based Violence

The president’s unprecedented position has made this a teaching moment in a culture where sexual harassment and physical violation on streets and buses and trains are often accepted and dismissed. At the same time, political opponents have alleged the incident was staged to divert attention from the recently assassination of a city leader, a critic of organized crime. However, most women understand that sexual violence need not be manufactured—research indicate that half of Mexican women have faced it at one time or another in their lives.

Navigating Accessibility and Safety

The president, similar to her preceding leader, is recognized for wading into crowds, greeting people, and posing for selfies. It was during such an interaction that she was groped. “This is a fragile equilibrium between being safe and maintaining proximity to the people,” explained a sociologist specializing in cultural studies. As a female president, it’s a stark reminder that you often face no-win situations.

Those raised in a very traditional way where male-dominated systems are accepted, a female leader such as the president, who is a academic and a leftist, embodies all that macho men in the country despise,” the sociologist elaborated.

Shared Stories of Violation and Fighting Back

Gender-based violence is not unique to this nation, naturally. Discussing the leader’s ordeal opened a flood of memories and shared stories among women. As Cardona spoke about urging her students to react when assaulted, she learned about personal experiences, such as one where a individual was violated on two occasions during a religious pilgrimage. In a similar vein, accounts of resisting—like physically confronting a groper in a club—highlight a growing worldwide movement of women rejecting to remain passive.

Breaking Silence and Channeling Outrage

Maybe this event will mark a turning point for women across Mexico. “For about a decade, we’ve been breaking the silence, but it’s incredibly difficult,” Cardona remarked. “Many women feel ashamed, but now we can discuss it with greater openness.” The expert routinely shares with her class the precautions she takes when going out, such as thinking about clothing to avoid harassment. And she asks a question to her male pupils: “Did you ever considered about that?” Their response is always no.

Now, after the leader’s violation recorded on video and viewed worldwide, will men in Mexico begin to think differently? Cardona encourages all: “You have to harness the outrage!”

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