Hundreds of people, mostly women, came out in the street in support of Gisele Pelicot, a woman who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband (who was her husband at that time) for a decade and he recruited dozens of strangers to rape her which has shocked the nation.
The feminist associations have called for some 30 gatherings on Saturday in cities ranging from Marseille to Paris, where on the Place de la Republique banners read “Support to Gisele” or “Shame Must Change Camp” or “Victims We believe you”.
Pelicot has become France’s symbol of the fight against sexual violence, AP New reported.
Who is Gisele Pelicot?
A 72-year-old woman caught the attention of headlines when she filed a case against her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot of repeatedly raping her and enlisting strangers to abuse his heavily sedated wife in the couple’s home over the course of a decade.
Since the beginning of the case Pelicot has to go through a rough path. She chose to go for a public trial to alert the public to sexual abuse and drug-induced blackouts.
During this trial, she had to face 51 of her alleged rapists which is due to run until December. People are praised for her courage and composure.
She also allowed journalists to use her full name in their articles or the other platforms and even gave a nod to the court to exhibit explicit videos recorded by her husband showing men engaging in sexual intercourse with her naked, inert body.
Her bold and courageous behaviour is praised by the entire France nation and even foreign countries.
In an open letter translated into English and published in the French newspaper Le Monde, journalist and author Helene Devynck thanked Pelicot for her bravery, echoing the feelings of many other French people.
“You entered our lives like you entered the Avignon court, through the front door,” wrote Devynck, a figure of the French #MeToo movement. “It’s not just you, Gisele, that they’ve treated like a thing. They were telling us, all of us women, how insignificant we are. Your strength restores ours. Thank you for this immense gift.”
Gisele Pelicot case explained
According to the police, the abuse began in 2011 when the couple lived near Paris and continued after their move to Mazan. Dominique routinely drugged his wife and invited strangers to join him in assaulting her, often filming the encounters. Pelicot has no memory of the attacks but will see many of them played in court as dozens of defendants go on trial in Avignon, France, between now and December. The revelation of his abuse has destroyed a formerly tight-knit family, and the reason behind his actions remains unclear.
Pelicot came to know about this horrifying act through the police who gave her the information.
Dominique’s crimes came to light in 2020 when he was caught filming women up their skirts in a supermarket. Upon investigation, authorities uncovered the scale of the abuse. He and 50 other men are now on trial for aggravated rape, with the proceedings expected to last four months. The victims of these attacks included various individuals, from a fire brigade officer to a journalist, and while most participated only once, some returned multiple times.
What is going on in court?
Pelicot will face the man with whom she shared her life for over 50 years and the father of their three children on Monday. Her lawyer has said she is planning on attending his testimony.
Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, for health reasons, has been exempted from attending the trial since last week. He is expected to testify on Monday or Tuesday, his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, has said.
Dominique has previously confessed to the crimes to investigators, but his court hearing will be crucial for the panel of judges to decide on the fate of the 50 other men accused of rape, reported AP news agency.
Some defendants have claimed they believed a husband’s consent for sexual intercourse was sufficient, while others said they were tricked by Dominique Pelicot into believing his wife was consenting.
One lawyer representing six defendants has shocked the nation by arguing that “there is rape and rape, and without intention, there is no rape.”
The feminist associations have called for some 30 gatherings on Saturday in cities ranging from Marseille to Paris, where on the Place de la Republique banners read “Support to Gisele” or “Shame Must Change Camp” or “Victims We believe you”.
Pelicot has become France’s symbol of the fight against sexual violence, AP New reported.
Who is Gisele Pelicot?
A 72-year-old woman caught the attention of headlines when she filed a case against her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot of repeatedly raping her and enlisting strangers to abuse his heavily sedated wife in the couple’s home over the course of a decade.
Since the beginning of the case Pelicot has to go through a rough path. She chose to go for a public trial to alert the public to sexual abuse and drug-induced blackouts.
During this trial, she had to face 51 of her alleged rapists which is due to run until December. People are praised for her courage and composure.
She also allowed journalists to use her full name in their articles or the other platforms and even gave a nod to the court to exhibit explicit videos recorded by her husband showing men engaging in sexual intercourse with her naked, inert body.
Her bold and courageous behaviour is praised by the entire France nation and even foreign countries.
In an open letter translated into English and published in the French newspaper Le Monde, journalist and author Helene Devynck thanked Pelicot for her bravery, echoing the feelings of many other French people.
“You entered our lives like you entered the Avignon court, through the front door,” wrote Devynck, a figure of the French #MeToo movement. “It’s not just you, Gisele, that they’ve treated like a thing. They were telling us, all of us women, how insignificant we are. Your strength restores ours. Thank you for this immense gift.”
Gisele Pelicot case explained
According to the police, the abuse began in 2011 when the couple lived near Paris and continued after their move to Mazan. Dominique routinely drugged his wife and invited strangers to join him in assaulting her, often filming the encounters. Pelicot has no memory of the attacks but will see many of them played in court as dozens of defendants go on trial in Avignon, France, between now and December. The revelation of his abuse has destroyed a formerly tight-knit family, and the reason behind his actions remains unclear.
Pelicot came to know about this horrifying act through the police who gave her the information.
Dominique’s crimes came to light in 2020 when he was caught filming women up their skirts in a supermarket. Upon investigation, authorities uncovered the scale of the abuse. He and 50 other men are now on trial for aggravated rape, with the proceedings expected to last four months. The victims of these attacks included various individuals, from a fire brigade officer to a journalist, and while most participated only once, some returned multiple times.
What is going on in court?
Pelicot will face the man with whom she shared her life for over 50 years and the father of their three children on Monday. Her lawyer has said she is planning on attending his testimony.
Her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, for health reasons, has been exempted from attending the trial since last week. He is expected to testify on Monday or Tuesday, his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, has said.
Dominique has previously confessed to the crimes to investigators, but his court hearing will be crucial for the panel of judges to decide on the fate of the 50 other men accused of rape, reported AP news agency.
Some defendants have claimed they believed a husband’s consent for sexual intercourse was sufficient, while others said they were tricked by Dominique Pelicot into believing his wife was consenting.
One lawyer representing six defendants has shocked the nation by arguing that “there is rape and rape, and without intention, there is no rape.”
Source : Times of India
