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“Machismo in Mexico is so deeply rooted that not even the president is safe,” stated Caterina Camastra, voicing a sentiment shared by many women throughout the nation. This comes after a widely circulated footage showed a drunk man groping the country’s first female president as she strolled from the National Palace to the education ministry. Sheinbaum, who has filed a complaint against the perpetrator, commented at a press briefing: “If they do this to the leader, what happens to all the other women in the country?”

Historic Situation Sheds Light on Pervasive Gender-Based Violence

The president’s historic position has turned this into a teaching moment in a society where sexual harassment and assault on streets and public transport are frequently normalized and not taken seriously. At the same time, rival factions have claimed the assault was orchestrated to divert attention from the recently assassination of a city leader, Carlos Manzo. However, the majority of women know that gender-based aggression need not be manufactured—research indicate that 50% of Mexican women have faced it at one time or another in their lives.

Navigating Public Engagement and Security

Sheinbaum, similar to her preceding leader, is known for wading into crowds, greeting people, and posing for selfies. She was one such encounter that she was groped. “It’s a fragile equilibrium between being safe and being close to the public,” noted Ishtar Cardona. For a female president, it’s a stark realization that you often face no-win situations.

Those raised in a very traditional way where patriarchal structure are accepted, a woman like Sheinbaum, who is a scientist and a progressive, represents everything macho men in the country despise,” Cardona explained.

Shared Stories of Assault and Fighting Back

Gender-based violence is not limited to Mexico, of course. Talking about the president’s ordeal unleashed a wave of memories and shared accounts among female individuals. As Cardona mentioned advising her pupils to react when assaulted, she learned about personal incidents, such as one where a woman was assaulted twice during a holy journey. Similarly, accounts of resisting—like physically confronting a groper in a nightspot—highlight a growing worldwide movement of women rejecting to remain passive.

Shattering Silence and Channeling Anger

Perhaps this event will represent a turning point for Mexican women. “For about a decade, we’ve been breaking the silence, but it’s incredibly difficult,” Cardona stated. “Many women are embarrassed, but now we can discuss it with greater openness.” She often discusses with her class the measures she employs when going out, such as considering attire to avoid harassment. She asks a query to her male pupils: “Have you ever considered about that?” Their response is always no.

Now, after the president’s assault recorded on video and seen worldwide, will men in Mexico begin to think differently? The sociologist encourages everyone: “You have to embrace the anger!”

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