France’s Gisele Pelicot says ‘macho’ society must change its attitude towards rape

Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, the victim of an alleged mass rape orchestrated by her husband Dominique Pelicot at their home in the southern French city of Mazan, arrives to attend the trial of Dominique Pelicot with 50 co-defendants, at the courthouse in Avignon, France. on November 19, 2024. | Photo credit: Reuters

Gisèle Pelicotthe French woman who was drugged by her ex-husband so she could be raped and sexually abused by him and dozens of strangers said on Tuesday (November 19, 2024) that it was time for a ‘macho’ society to change its attitude to rape to change .

“It is time for the macho, patriarchal society that trivializes rape to change,” Gisele Pelicot said in her closing statement at the trial of her ex-husband and dozens of other men accused of rape.

“It’s time we change the way we look at rape,” she added.

Since the beginning of September, her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot has been in the dock together with 49 other men in the southern city of Avignon. Another suspect is still on the run.

Gisele Pelicot has become a feminist icon by refusing to be ashamed and demanding that the trial be open to the public to raise awareness about using drugs to commit sexual abuse.

Ms Gisele, 71, said the marathon hearings marked a trial of “cowardice” on the part of the men who took part in the rapes orchestrated by her husband.

“I’ve seen people take a stand denying rape, and some admitting it,” she said.

“I want to say to these men: At what point did Ms. Pelicot give you permission when you entered the room? At what point do you become aware of this inert body? At what point do you not report this to the police?”

None of her abusers alerted the police.

“I hear this gentleman say, ‘A finger is not rape,’” Gisele Pelicot added, referring to the testimony of another defendant.

Researchers have counted about 200 cases of rape, most by her husband and more than 90 by strangers.

– ‘Scar will never heal’ –

Ms Gisele said her former husband had “a lot of fantasies that I couldn’t fulfill”.

‘But why has it come to this? I think he wanted Mrs. Pelicot and not anyone else,” she added.

“Because I didn’t want to go to a swingers club, he thought he had found the solution by putting me to sleep.”

“I have lost 10 years of my life that I will never make up for,” she added.

“This scar will never heal.”

The process will enter its final phase this week. Dominique Pelicot would also address the court before the civil parties delivered their closing arguments.

Prosecutors will then deliver their closing arguments and submit their sentencing demands for the defendants.

On Monday, the couple’s three children spoke in court about their heartbreak and grief, with the daughter insisting she had been ‘forgotten’ despite also being abused.

Ms Gisele’s daughter, who uses the pseudonym Caroline Darian, believes she was also attacked by her father.

The case of 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot has sparked horror, protests and a debate about male violence in French society.

Dominique Pelicot has confessed to being a rapist. If convicted, he would emerge from the historic trial with a record as one of France’s worst sex offenders.

Of the co-defendants, only fourteen have admitted to charges of aggravated rape, for which most of them face a 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

The 35 others deny raping Gisele Pelicot and claim they thought they were participating in sex games.

– ‘One for all’ –

Ms Gisele’s life was shattered in 2020 when she discovered that her partner of 50 years had secretly administered large doses of tranquilizers to rape her and invite dozens of strangers to join him at their home in the village of Mazan .

Gisele Pelicot has said she had strange memory disorders and other health problems for years and thought she might have Alzheimer’s disease.

Many hope that the trial will help victims of sexual violence finally have them listened to and believed, and will push France to include the concept of consent in the definition of rape in French law.

“One for all,” the French daily Liberation said on Tuesday, putting a photo of Ms Gisele on its front page and calling the trial “historic”.

The verdict is expected to be pronounced no later than December 20.