Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman who was drugged and raped by her husband Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men, bravely went public to share her story, exposing a disturbing rape culture and pushing for legal reform.
Gisèle Pelicot went public to showcase the actions of Dominique Pelicot, 50 other men and rape culture to protect others.Gisèle Pelicot knew the father of six who lived a short distance away from her home.He was a builder and once he came over to chat to her then-husband, Dominique Pelicot, about cycling.Simone M. is just one of more than 60 men who was recruited online by Dominique Pelicot to rape his then-wife while she lay drugged and almost comatose on their bed.
Eleven other men who allegedly assaulted Gisèle Pelicot remain unidentified.Under French law, those found guilty are entitled to anonymity until after the 10-day appeal window has passed.Years later, when Gisèle Pelicot steeled herself to watch some of the 20,000 horrific videos and photographs documenting her own abuse collected by Dominique Pelicot, Simone M. would be the only man the grandmother recognised.He received the maximum sentence of 20 years for drugging and raping his then-wife, and inviting others to sexually assault her.Gisèle Pelicot has become a feminist hero.Rallies have been held in her honour and the case has prompted tough conversations about attitudes towards women, sexual assault victims who have been drugged and legal reform.The case against Dominique Pelicot and 50 other offenders was intended to play out behind closed doors. But Gisèle's extraordinary decision to go public and waive her right to anonymity opened a window into a disturbing world few knew existed, and raised questions about whether these types of crimes could be happening elsewhere.Speaking after the sentences were handed down in Avignon on Thursday, she said she 'never regretted' making the trial public. 'I want any woman who wakes up one morning with no memories of the night before to remember what I said, so that no more women can fall prey,' she told the court during the trial
RAPE CULTURE DOMINIQUE PELICOT SEXUAL ASSAULT FEMINISM LEGAL REFORM
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