Gisèle Pelicot Breaks Silence After Historic Rape Trial That Shook France
She stood alone in a courtroom against dozens of men and changed the course of justice in France forever.
Gisèle Pelicot is not just a survivor. She has become a symbol of reckoning. In her first UK interview since the conviction of her ex-husband, she speaks with clarity, strength and something unexpected — hope.
For nearly a decade, her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, secretly drugged her and invited dozens of strangers to rape her while she was unconscious. She had no memory of it. No suspicion. No warning. The truth only emerged after he was arrested in an unrelated incident and investigators uncovered thousands of images and videos documenting the abuse.
What followed was the largest rape trial in French history. More than 50 men stood accused. Many claimed they did not realize they were committing rape. All were convicted.
And at the center of it all was one woman who made a decision that stunned the country.
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Under French law, victims of sexual crimes are entitled to anonymity. The trial could have been closed. Her name could have remained hidden. But Gisèle chose to make it public. She said shame must change sides. She refused to carry it for crimes committed against her.
That choice transformed the case from a private tragedy into a national reckoning. The trial sparked protests, debates and ultimately contributed to a new law strengthening consent protections in France. It forced society to confront uncomfortable truths about complicity, silence and the normalization of violence.
Now in her seventies, Gisèle says she has given herself permission to be happy. Those words carry weight. Because this is not a story of quick healing or simple closure. Her ex-husband was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Other investigations tied to him remain open. The past cannot be erased.
But she speaks of rising from the ashes. Of refusing to let trauma define the rest of her life.
Her case matters far beyond France. It raises urgent questions about how justice systems treat victims. About how communities respond when ordinary men commit extraordinary crimes. And about whether public accountability can shift cultural norms.
Gisèle Pelicot did not ask to become a global figure. Yet her decision to stand visibly, publicly and defiantly in court has altered the conversation around sexual violence.
This story is not over. Legal appeals continue. Broader investigations remain underway. And the societal questions she forced into the open are still unfolding.
Stay with us for continuing coverage as this case continues to shape the future of justice, accountability and the fight against sexual violence worldwide.
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