Gisèle Pellicore becomes a symbol of opposition to sexual violence in France

On September 14, 2024, news from Paris. French woman Gisèle Pellicore was allegedly drugged by her now divorced husband and raped by dozens of men while unconscious. She is becoming a symbol of opposition to sexual violence in France. Calls across the country are for public rallies on Saturday to support her and all rape victims.

Since the start of this special trial on September 2, 71-year-old Pellicore has faced 51 accused rapists and has been praised for her courage and composure. She decided on an open trial, allowing her full name to be published and explicit videos recorded by her husband to be shown. On September 5, she publicly recounted her experience for the first time, detailing the horror of discovering her ex-husband's misdeeds. Journalist and writer Hélène de Wink published an open letter thanking her for her bravery.

Next week, Pellicore will face the man who has lived with her for more than 50 years and is the father of her three children. Dominique Pellicore had previously admitted his guilt to investigators. His court hearing is crucial to determining the fate of the other 50 defendants. Most of the defendants have disputed the charges, and a lawyer's remarks shocked the nation. Magistrate Magali Lafocarde praised Pellicore and emphasized the low prosecution rate and high withdrawal rate of rape cases in France. Dominique Pellicore has been exempted from attending the trial since Wednesday for health reasons. His lawyer said he expects to testify on Monday or Tuesday and denied that he is avoiding testifying. If convicted, Dominique Pellicore and the other 50 defendants will face up to 20 years in prison.