Why laws alone won’t stop violence against women – President Sheinbaum's case shows the reality
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum after the presidential election, at Zocalo Square in Mexico City, Mexico June 3, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was sexually assaulted on November 10, 2025, while leaving the National Palace, an incident captured on camera and sparking nationwide outrage.
- Experts and activists highlight that women remain unsafe globally, facing harassment in politics, workplaces, and public spaces.
- The event underscores the urgent need for stronger protective laws, cultural change, and women’s empowerment.
People often preach about women's freedom and equal rights with males, but in reality, women are always scared and are victims of sexual abuse. In a world where a woman can't be president, it's easy to understand how hard it is for other women. What could be more disgusting and horrible for women's safety and dignity than when a drunk man sexually assaulted Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and sought to do awful things to her?
This incident took place on November 10, 2025, in the Mexican capital when the president was leaving the National Palace and heading towards the Education Department building. This incident was captured on camera. After it went viral, the anger of women across the country erupted.
Anna Karin, the head of Sweden's Centre Party, said she was leaving politics a few days before this happened. The explanation is that she was getting a lot of sexual threats. It's also interesting since her predecessor, Anne Loof, the party head, similarly said she was leaving because neo-Nazis were threatening, stalking, and harassing her online.
People have been making fun of Australian Prime Minister Julia Szilard and saying she is “intentionally infertile”. Kamala Harris, a Democratic contender for president from the US who is of Indian descent, has also been verbally sexually harassed while running against Trump.
In 2023, the shocking truth emerged about sexual assault crimes committed by mayors of 7,500 local committees in Italy. Gian Marco Daniel, a professor at Milan University, said this. Sigrid Kaag, a former Dutch politician, said last year that women of various colours and ethnicities have been getting more involved in politics lately. However, the rise in sexual harassment will put an end to this trend.
The sexual assault on the Mexican president has sparked a major global debate about women’s safety. Women are still unsafe in the modern era of the 21st century, and we have not been able to implement any social, administrative, or legal provisions to protect them. Is this a shame?
According to the National Agency of Mexico, seven out of 10 Mexican women and one out of 15 girls are victims of sexual violence in their entire lives. Their psychological and sexual abuse destroys their lives. So far this year, 25,000 cases of sexual abuse and harassment have been registered against women. Those who have not been registered are uncountable.
Even sexual abuse and harassment continue to be significant issues in the US. At least 18 women have come forward with accusations against Donald Trump regarding various forms of inappropriate behaviour, which include allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
Even in America President Donald Trump signed a bill that mandates the Department of Justice to share details about the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who passed away in jail in 2019. Women who were victims of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were discussed in the US Capitol.
Numerous women shared photos of themselves as children and young adults while recounting the abuse they suffered from Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein started sexually assaulting Marina Lacerda at his New York home when she was 14, but she has limited memories of that period due to the sadness she experienced.
Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child sex offender, formed friendships with politicians and celebrities. This sparked a conspiracy theory that Epstein maintained a list of clients he trafficked young girls to, used it for blackmail, and was ultimately killed by them. After Epstein's death in 2019, the information spread widely, including from then-president Donald Trump, and resurfaced in 2025.
Trump and Epstein ended their relationship in 2004 after knowing each other for a long time. Trump stated he has known Epstein since the late 1980s. Also, in 1992, billionaire George Houraney brought 28 “girls” to Mar-a-Lago for a “calendar girl” contest. Houraney was surprised to find only Trump and Epstein at the party Trump had asked for. Trump referred to Epstein as a “terrific gentleman” who “likes beautiful young ladies as much as I do”.
Lisa Phillips, a former model, was assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein at the age of 21. Annie Farmer, 46, spent a weekend with Epstein in New Mexico when she was 16. She said her sister was flown there and reported the assault, but nothing happened.
Virginia Giuffre, a well-known American survivor of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's sex trafficking network, has become a strong advocate for victims of sexual abuse. Giuffre, who made her commitment in April 2025, gained global attention for her allegations of being trafficked to powerful figures, including Prince Andrew, whom she accused of abuse during her childhood.
Prince Andrew instructed Giuffre to engage in sexual acts with him in London, New York, and Epstein's private island during 2001 and 2002. The bitter truth is that, in every country, society, and community, even today, women avoid registering such cases. But such incidents are common in every street, corner, office, other place of work, travel, and state or non-state event. The Mexican president filed a case against this incident so that every woman should come forward instead of avoiding it.
Every day, 10 women are being murdered in such cases in Mexico. In the first six months of this year, 500 cases of murder of women have been reported. Surveys in the US and UK show that 4 out of five women are victims of sexual harassment in their lives. They are not safe anywhere.
The Secretary of Women's Affairs of Mexico, Citlali Hernandez, has suggested a 'Presidential Plan' to combat violence against women. According to this, training encourages women to report violence to the police and trains public prosecutors and other workers to handle these situations.
This includes educating women about such cases. Her message was that Mexican women are not powerless. Report any such event immediately. Our president is with them and devoted to their safety. On November 13, President Sheinbaum told the press, “If they can treat the president like this, what will happen to other common women in the country?”
Sexual assault and harassment of women will be heinous in 32 Mexican states. An upcoming federal law will sentence the guilty to 6–10 years in jail. Martha Lucia Mitcher, a Morena senator, said the sexual harassment penal code will be altered. The Senate will act because water is spilling over the head.
This atrocity now affects judges’ daughters and sisters. It's in the police, army, churches, temples, and mosques. Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union head Jana Hilal believes the Mexican president's sexual assault exposes women's treatment. The union surveyed 55 MPs from 39 nations in 2016 and found that 82 per cent reported sexual harassment and 44 per cent reported murder or rape threats. This has caused British and Canadian women politicians to quit.
Mexico Estefania Vela, head of the Intersect women's group and legal expert, doesn't think amending the penal code after a presidential sexual assault is the solution. Her behaviour is mostly due to her gender.
Punishments will not stop such attacks. To rouse women against such atrocities and organize them to prevent them, the school syllabus and culture must alter. And human behaviour won't change without women's empowerment.
Since violence against women remains a significant issue that hinders their financial independence. It robs them of the opportunity for financial independence and a life of dignity. Eliminating harmful practices is both a legal and moral obligation, and it's crucial for building a society where women and girls can thrive free from violence, discrimination, and unnecessary suffering.
The author is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Brampton, Canada.
