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“Machismo in the nation is so pervasive that not even the president is protected,” declared a professor and feminist, voicing a sentiment shared by many women across the country. This comes after a viral video showed a intoxicated man molesting the country’s first female president as she walked from the presidential residence to the department of education. The president, who has filed a complaint against the assailant, remarked at a press briefing: “When this happens to the leader, what happens to all the other women in the nation?”

Unprecedented Position Highlights on Widespread Sexual Harassment

Sheinbaum’s unprecedented role has turned this into a learning opportunity in a culture where unwanted advances and assault on streets and buses and trains are often accepted 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 local mayor, Carlos Manzo. However, most women understand that gender-based aggression doesn’t need manufactured—studies indicate that half of Mexican women have faced it at some point in their lives.

Navigating Accessibility and Safety

Sheinbaum, similar to her predecessor, is known for mixing with the public, shaking hands, and posing for selfies. It was during one such encounter that she was groped. “This is a delicate equilibrium between ensuring security and being close to the public,” noted a sociologist specializing in cultural studies. For a woman leader, it’s a sobering realization that frequently can’t win.

Those brought up in a deeply conservative way where patriarchal structure are accepted, a female leader like Sheinbaum, who is a academic and a leftist, represents everything traditional males in Mexico hate,” Cardona elaborated.

Common Stories of Assault and Resistance

Gender-based violence is not unique to Mexico, of course. Talking about the president’s experience opened a wave of recollections and exchanged accounts among female individuals. When the expert mentioned advising her pupils to react when groped, she learned about firsthand incidents, such as one where a individual was violated twice during a religious pilgrimage. Similarly, stories of fighting back—like physically confronting a assailant in a club—underscore a increasing worldwide movement of females rejecting to remain passive.

Breaking Taboos and Channeling Anger

Maybe this event will represent a turning point for women across Mexico. “We have been breaking the taboo, but it’s very tough,” Cardona remarked. “A lot of women feel ashamed, but today we are able to talk about it with more freedom.” She often discusses with her class the measures she employs when going out, such as thinking about attire to prevent harassment. And she poses a question to her male students: “Have you ever thought about that?” Their response is always no.

Today, after the leader’s assault captured on video and seen worldwide, will Mexican men begin to think differently? The sociologist urges all: “It’s essential to embrace the outrage!”

A key point is clear: Those who resist leave a lasting impression.