Female politicians such as Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum face backlash driven by discrimination'

"The brief and deeply unsettling encounter lasted just a few seconds, sparking outrage across Mexico and beyond as it laid bare what many women in the country face daily. But for those who have spent years tracking women in politics, the incident in which a drunken man attempted to kiss Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, on the neck and grope her was shocking but not entirely surprising."

"In 2016, the organisation surveyed 55 female politicians from 39 countries about their experiences of sexism, harassment and violence. What they found was alarming; 82% reported experiencing psychological violence, a category that included sexist remarks as well as persistent and intimidating behaviour, while 44% reported receiving death threats or threats of rape or beatings. One in five of the women said they had been slapped, pushed, struck or hit with a projectile that could have injured them."

"This violence is targeting women because they are women, said Hilal, who manages the gender and youth programmes for the Geneva-based organisation. It targets their bodies, it targets what society associates them with so children, their physical characteristics. She described the attacks as an attempt to question the role of women in leadership, an effort that at times was linked to a more formal push back against gender equality."

A brief incident in which a drunken man attempted to kiss and grope Mexico's president lasted only seconds but revealed pervasive gendered violence. Observers tracking women in politics characterize the event as part of a broader pattern of harassment. A 2016 Inter-Parliamentary Union survey of 55 female politicians from 39 countries found 82% experienced psychological violence, 44% received death or rape threats, and one in five endured physical assaults or projectiles. The violence targets women's bodies and social roles, seeks to delegitimize women leaders, and can be connected to organized pushback against gender equality.

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