Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old French woman at the centre of a mass rape trial involving 51 men, has described the proceedings as a “trial of cowardice” and demanded societal reform in a country she accuses of trivialising sexual violence.
Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, has admitted to orchestrating the abuse over nearly a decade by drugging her and recruiting men online to assault her while she was unconscious at their home in Mazan.
Ms. Pelicot, who has waived her right to anonymity, has attended the trial in Avignon since September, ensuring that the case receives public scrutiny.
Dominique Pelicot is charged with organising the assaults but denies manipulating the other defendants, most of whom claim they were unaware or misled. A few have admitted their guilt, but many deny committing rape, insisting they were either deceived or unaware of the circumstances.
The case has drawn international attention and has spurred discussions on the legal definition of rape in France, particularly regarding consent in drug-induced assaults.
During his testimony, Dominique Pelicot denied accusations of manipulating the men and refuted claims that he drugged them, calling such allegations a ploy to “save themselves.” He was also confronted with images found on his laptop of their partially naked daughter, Caroline. Despite denying any wrongdoing toward his daughter, Caroline publicly rebuked him in court, shouting, “you are lying; you will die lying.”
Ms. Pelicot revealed the devastating personal toll of her husband’s crimes, stating that she lost 10 years of her life due to the drugs he secretly administered.
Her decision to continue using her ex-husband’s name, despite its association with the abuse, was a deliberate choice. She said she wanted her grandchildren, who still bear the Pelicot name, to be proud of their grandmother.
The case came to light in 2020 after Dominique Pelicot was caught secretly filming under women’s skirts at a supermarket. The incident led police to uncover thousands of videos of the assaults on Ms. Pelicot, filmed without her knowledge. She later realized he had been drugging her from 2011 to 2020.
The case has sparked a broader debate about France’s legal treatment of sexual violence and societal attitudes toward rape.
A verdict is expected in December, with the trial marking a turning point in France’s reckoning with sexual violence and systemic misogyny.
