International programs to prevent sexual harassment are needed

To the editor: After she was publicly fired, Mexican President Claudia Schönbaum said, “If they do this to the president, what will happen to all the young women in the country?” Actually, and it’s not just in Mexico and it’s not just young women; It is also universally girls and old women (“Mexico’s president was beaten on the street. Now she’s fighting against sexual harassment.” November 5).

What needs to happen is a multilateral approach to ending this kind of violence worldwide. Prevention programs should be offered to all boys in grades through high school, as well as enforcement of existing laws against perpetrators.

White Ribbon CampaignCreated in Canada, it provides a framework for teaching boys about supporting the rights of women and girls, and should be part of the school curriculum here and in Mexico.

MIA, Mujeres Iniciando en Las Americas is a California-based non-profit organization that provides education based on the White Ribbon Campaign. It reaches elementary schools, middle schools and universities in Guatemala to help prevent sexual violence against women there. These are the types of programs we need to expand across Mexico, the United States, and around the world.

Christopher Hill, Costa Mesa

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To the editor: It’s scary to think that even the most powerful woman in Mexico will experience what most women experience in their lives with sexual harassment. You would think that the presence of presidential-level security and witnesses would prevent any unwanted sexual advances.

The truth is that women experience sexual harassment and assault all the time. How is it that no woman is immune from the risk of sexual harassment?

More policies should be adopted to place greater impact on perpetrators of sexual harassment. If invaders see potential danger, they will be more inclined to stop. In addition, the greater crime of sexual harassment will remove the normalization of the behavior.

Focusing on changing abusive behavior, rather than finding ways for women to defend themselves, helps create new norms for a better and safer future.

Arianna Mora, San Lorenzo