December 19th 2024.
Gisèle Pélicot bravely chose to waive her anonymity in a horrific rape trial that has shocked the nation of France. She became a symbol of strength and resilience as she took the stand to expose the years of sexual violence she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband and dozens of other men. The trial concluded with a guilty verdict for her ex-husband Dominique Pélicot, who had repeatedly drugged and raped her for almost a decade and invited strangers to do the same.
Throughout the court hearings, the 72-year-old was a constant presence, even as the revolting videos of her assaults – filmed by her husband – were shown. The court heard from dozens of accused men, and Pélicot listened as the majority denied raping her, claiming they thought she was pretending to be asleep or playing a game. But she stood strong, taking the stand and stating that “a rapist is not just someone you meet in a dark car park late at night. He can also be found in family, among friends.” To modern women in France, Gisèle Pélicot is a hero.
Before the police knocked on her door four years ago, exposing the crimes, Pélicot lived a normal life as a wife, mother, and grandmother. But when the truth came out, she made the brave decision to speak out and demand justice. Under French law, the names of victims are usually kept out of the press, but she insisted on a public trial in an attempt to expose her ex-husband and the 50 men he is accused of inviting to rape her. She allowed journalists to publish her full name and the court to exhibit explicit videos recorded by her husband showing men engaging in sexual intercourse with her while unconscious. Her actions were in solidarity with all the other women who go unrecognized as victims of sexual crimes.
During her testimony, Pélicot remained strong and unashamed, stating “I have decided not to be ashamed, I have done nothing wrong. They are the ones who must be ashamed. I’m not expressing hatred or hate, but I am determined that things change in this society.” Her courage and determination have inspired many, with demonstrators holding up signs in support of her at a protest. On September 5, she spoke about her ordeal in public for the first time, detailing the horror of discovering that her ex-spouse had been drugging and inviting strangers to rape her.
Her ex-husband, Dominique Pélicot, was convicted of drugging his wife for a decade and arranging for strangers in their village to assault her. His abuse only came to light in September 2020 when he was arrested for taking upskirt photographs of women in a supermarket. It was then that police discovered thousands of pictures and videos that Pélicot had taken of the rapes and stored on his computer in a folder named “abuse.” At the beginning of the trial, he admitted to drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of men to rape her.
The horror of this case extends beyond Pélicot's actions – it is the fact that he had no difficulty finding dozens of men to participate in the rapes. Aged between 26 and 74, the accused include a nurse, a journalist, a prison warden, a local councillor, a soldier, lorry drivers, and farm workers. In total, 49 are accused of rape, one of attempted rape, and one of sexual assault. Five others are also charged with possessing child abuse imagery. Although only 50 men were identified in the videos by police, at least another 30 took part in the rapes.
During the trial, 35 of the defendants denied the rape charges, claiming that Pélicot had tricked them into believing they were taking part in a sex game. Céline Piques, a spokesperson for the feminist group Osez le Féminisme!, or Dare Feminism!, is convinced that many of the men were inspired or perverted by porn, including videos found on popular websites. Despite some sites cracking down on search terms such as “unconscious,” there are still hundreds of videos of men having sex with seemingly passed out women available online. Pélicot's bravery in speaking out against her abusers has sparked important conversations about the impact of pornography and the need for societal change.
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