Mexico City: A shocking assault on President Claudia Sheinbaum has triggered a wave of anger and a new national plan to fight sexual abuse in Mexico. The president was groped and grabbed by a man while walking in Mexico City, an incident caught on video that shocked the country.
Citlalli Hernández, Mexico’s secretary for women, announced a presidential plan to fight sexual violence and support victims. The plan includes stricter prison sentences for abusers, training for police and prosecutors, and awareness campaigns in schools, workplaces, and public spaces. It also urges women to report abuse without fear.
Hernández said the government wants all Mexican women and girls to know they are not alone and that reporting violence is important. The attack on Sheinbaum highlighted the widespread nature of harassment in Mexico.
Pronunciamiento
Las violencias que vivimos las mujeres provienen de la normalización que tienen algunos hombres acerca de la irrupción a nuestro espacio personal y/o a nuestro cuerpo; son resultado de décadas de una visión machista.
El acoso, el hostigamiento, el abuso y… pic.twitter.com/ViHg8evNHm
— Citlalli Hernández Mora (@CitlaHM) November 5, 2025
Seven out of ten women over 15 have faced some form of violence, and 25,000 sexual harassment complaints have already been filed this year. On average, ten women are murdered every day, and more than 500 femicides have been recorded in the first half of this year.
Lawmakers from Sheinbaum’s Morena party said the assault shows that even the president is not safe from the abuse that millions of women face. Senator Martha Lucía Mícher said that changing laws is only one part of the solution. She stressed the need to educate men, empower women, and train officials to handle such cases better.
Some activists, however, are doubtful that tougher penalties alone will work. Feminist groups say the government should focus more on education and prevention. Legal expert Estefania Vela said it is easy to change laws but hard to change attitudes. Many hope that this shocking incident will push Mexico to take stronger and lasting action to protect women from violence and abuse.
