November 19th 2024.
Gisele Pelicot has become an inspiration to many as she courageously waived her right to anonymity and demanded that her trial be open to the public. She has been hailed as a feminist hero for her bravery in speaking out against the macho and patriarchal society that she believes has trivialized sexual violence.
During the trial, Gisele, who is now 72 years old, gave her final testimony and directly confronted her abusers. She described the ordeal of being raped by her husband and 50 other men for over a decade as a "trial of cowardice," highlighting the lack of accountability and responsibility among her attackers.
Her husband, Dominique Pelicot, has confessed to crushing sleeping pills into her food and inviting men to their bedroom to rape her while she was unconscious. Gisele looked at each of her abusers in the eye and questioned their actions, asking when they realized that she did not give her consent and that something was seriously wrong.
In a powerful statement, she declared, "They must take responsibility for their actions. Rape is rape." Gisele has been a vocal advocate for rape victims, and she has refused to stay silent about the abuse she endured for so long.
Gisele only learned about the horrific abuse four years ago when the police discovered videos and images of her husband orchestrating the rapes. Under French law, she had the option to keep the trial behind closed doors, but she chose to make it public. She hoped that by doing so, it would encourage other women to speak up and break the silence surrounding sexual violence.
Despite facing criticism and unacceptable comments throughout the trial, Gisele remained resolute in her decision to have a public trial. She explained, "I knew what I was getting into by refusing a closed hearing." Her goal was to shed light on the prevalence of rape in society and to show that victims have nothing to be ashamed of.
Gisele was accompanied by her youngest son, Florian, during the trial. He also testified against his father and expressed his gratitude for having his mother still alive. He confronted his father, saying, "You always portrayed our mother as a saint, but you were the devil incarnate."
All three of Gisele and Dominique's adult children have testified against their father, who is now in custody and appearing in court behind a glass barrier. He has admitted to being a rapist and kept hundreds of videos of the abuse on his computer under the title "Abuse."
While some of the other accused have acknowledged their guilt, others have claimed that they were unaware of Gisele being drugged, despite video evidence proving otherwise. The trial is ongoing and is set to conclude on December 21. Gisele's bravery and determination to seek justice continue to inspire and empower others to speak up against sexual violence.
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