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“Machismo in the nation is so pervasive that not even the president is protected,” declared Caterina Camastra, voicing a feeling echoed by many women across the country. This comes after a viral video showed a drunk man molesting Claudia Sheinbaum as she strolled from the presidential residence to the department of education. Sheinbaum, who has pressed charges against the assailant, commented at a press briefing: “When this happens to the leader, what happens to every other women in the nation?”

Unprecedented Situation Sheds Light on Widespread Sexual Harassment

The president’s unprecedented position has turned this into a teaching moment in a culture where unwanted advances and physical violation on public spaces and buses and trains are often normalized and not taken seriously. Meanwhile, rival factions have alleged the assault was staged to shift focus from the recently murder of a city leader, a critic of organized crime. However, most women know that sexual violence doesn’t need staged—research indicate that half of women in Mexico have faced it at one time or another in their lives.

Navigating Public Engagement and Safety

Sheinbaum, similar to her predecessor, is recognized for wading into crowds, greeting people, and taking photos. She was such an encounter that she was assaulted. “It’s a fragile balance between ensuring security and being close to the public,” explained a sociologist specializing in cultural studies. As a female president, it’s a sobering reminder that you often can’t win.

Those raised in a deeply conservative way where male-dominated systems are normalized, a woman like Sheinbaum, who is a scientist and a leftist, embodies everything traditional males in the country despise,” the sociologist elaborated.

Common Experiences of Violation and Resistance

Sexual assault is not limited to this nation, naturally. Discussing the president’s experience unleashed a wave of recollections and exchanged stories among female individuals. As Cardona spoke about advising her pupils to react when groped, she learned about personal incidents, such as a case where a woman was assaulted on two occasions during a holy journey. In a similar vein, stories of fighting back—like physically confronting a assailant in a nightspot—underscore a increasing worldwide trend of females rejecting to remain passive.

Shattering Silence and Embracing Anger

Maybe this incident will represent a turning point for Mexican women. “We have been breaking the taboo, but it’s very tough,” the sociologist stated. “A lot of women are ashamed, but today we are able to talk about it with greater openness.” The expert often discusses with her class the precautions she employs when leaving home, such as considering attire to prevent unwanted advances. And she poses a query to her male pupils: “Have you ever considered about that?” Their response is invariably no.

Now, after the president’s assault captured on video and viewed globally, can men in Mexico start to think differently? The sociologist encourages everyone: “You have to harness the outrage!”

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