President Sheinbaum announces measures after public groping
President Claudia Sheinbaum, 63, on Thursday unveiled proposals to strengthen reporting and prosecution of sexual abuse after she was groped in Mexico City earlier this week.
Sheinbaum was assaulted on Tuesday by a drunken man while walking and greeting supporters. Witnesses say the man put an arm around her shoulder, touched her hip and chest, and attempted to kiss her neck before a member of her security detail pulled him away.
Sheinbaum has filed charges against the attacker for sexual harassment — a Mexico City offense that covers groping and lewd conduct — and has ordered a review of the widely differing sexual harassment and abuse laws across Mexico's 32 states.
Officials say sexual harassment in public spaces is pervasive in Mexico; over the past decade authorities introduced women-only sections on the metro to try to protect commuters. Cities with similar measures include Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro.
"May what happened serve so that women do not feel alone in situations of harassment or abuse... and for this to happen, there must be institutions and a government that supports them," Sheinbaum said at her regular press conference.
The United Nations estimates roughly 70 percent of Mexican girls and women aged 15 and older will experience at least one incident of sexual harassment in their lifetimes. Sheinbaum said 45 percent had experienced sexual "abuse." Citlalli Hernandez, Secretary for Women, said more than 25,000 complaints for sexual harassment have been filed so far this year, though authorities believe the true number is far higher because many victims fear victim-blaming or not being taken seriously.
Sheinbaum called for an "efficient and quick" reporting system "that truly allows justice to be served," but offered no concrete details about how it would work. The attack also renewed debate over her decision to continue mingling with the public despite risks to politicians in Mexico, including cartel violence; Sheinbaum said she will not increase her security, explaining, "We need to be close to the people."
