Head of State Assaulted in Broad Daylight, Sparking National Protest from Women in Mexico
“Machismo in the nation is so pervasive that not one the head of state is safe,” declared Caterina Camastra, expressing a sentiment echoed by many women across the country. This comes after a widely circulated footage showed a drunk man molesting Claudia Sheinbaum as she strolled from the National Palace to the department of education. Sheinbaum, who has pressed charges against the perpetrator, commented at a press briefing: “When this happens to the president, what occurs to all the other women in the nation?”
Unprecedented Position Sheds Light on Pervasive Gender-Based Violence
The president’s unprecedented position has made this a learning opportunity in a society where sexual harassment and assault on streets and buses and trains are often normalized and not taken seriously. At the same time, political opponents have claimed the incident was staged to divert attention from the recently assassination of a local mayor, Carlos Manzo. Yet, the majority of women know that gender-based aggression need not be manufactured—studies indicate that 50% of women in Mexico have faced it at some point in their lifetimes.
Navigating Accessibility and Safety
Sheinbaum, similar to her predecessor, is recognized for wading into crowds, shaking hands, and posing for selfies. She was such an interaction that she was assaulted. “This is a delicate balance between being safe and maintaining proximity to the public,” noted Ishtar Cardona. For a woman leader, it’s a sobering realization that you often can’t win.
“For people brought up in a deeply conservative manner where male-dominated systems are accepted, a female leader like Sheinbaum, who is a scientist and a progressive, represents all that traditional males in Mexico despise,” Cardona explained.
Shared Experiences of Assault and Resistance
Gender-based violence is not unique to this nation, naturally. Talking about the president’s experience opened a wave of recollections and shared accounts among women. When the expert mentioned advising her students not to freeze when assaulted, she heard about personal experiences, such as one where a woman was assaulted on two occasions during a religious pilgrimage. In a similar vein, stories of resisting—like beating up a groper in a nightspot—highlight a growing global movement of females refusing to stay silent.
Breaking Silence and Channeling Outrage
Maybe this incident will represent a critical moment for Mexican women. “We have been breaking the silence, but it’s very tough,” the sociologist stated. “Many women are ashamed, but now we are able to talk about it with more freedom.” She routinely shares with her students the measures she employs when leaving home, such as thinking about attire to avoid unwanted advances. And she asks a query to her male students: “Did you ever thought about that?” The answer is always no.
Today, with the president’s assault recorded on video and viewed globally, will men in Mexico begin to think differently? Cardona urges all: “You have to embrace the outrage!”
A key point is clear: Those who resist make their assailants remember.
