Gisèle Pelicot arrives on the courthouse in Avignon, France, on Dec. 19, 2024, prematurely of the decision being learn out from the trial of her ex-husband and greater than 4 dozen different males 50 who had been discovered responsible of aggravated rape towards Gisèle Pelicot.
CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU/AFP by way of Getty Photos
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CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU/AFP by way of Getty Photos
AVIGNON, France — A French panel of judges discovered dozens of males responsible of raping a girl whose husband had drugged her unconscious over the course of a decade.
The five-judge panel first dominated that the husband of Gisèle Pelicot responsible of aggravated rapes and all different prices towards him.
“You are therefore declared guilty of aggravated rape on the person of Mme. Gisèle Pelicot,” mentioned Roger Arata the lead decide within the court docket, addressing Dominique Pelicot and the primary group of males discovered responsible. A complete of 51 males, together with Dominique Pelicot, stood trial.
“She’s a hero” added Blandine Deverlanges, head of the feminist group Les Amazones d’Avignon (Amazons of Avignon). “A kind of hero because she refused to be silenced. And she wanted her story to be public and she gave us huge present for us women because she gave us her story so now it’s our story.
The court decision ends a 15-week trial in this southern French city that included detailed descriptions of systematic drugging and sexual abuse, triggering a national debate about the treatment of women in society.
Although the crimes occurred over and over behind closed doors — unknown even to the victim at the time — the hearings and verdict took place in front of the world’s news media, as she insisted on a public trial, turning her into a hero for supporters who celebrated her bravery.
She was fighting for “all these folks all over the world, ladies and men, who’re victims of sexual violence,” she mentioned.
“This trial has already modified issues as a result of numerous girls at the moment are holding open trials,” Valentine Rioufol, a feminist from Avignon, said Thursday after the verdicts were read out. “Pelicot set an enormous instance. Ladies may have open rape trials now. They’re not scared to do it. The disgrace has modified sides.”
Throughout the trial, her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, admitted to the costs of rape and testified he had used tranquilizers hidden in her food and drinks to ship her into deep sufficient sleep that she would not be stirred awake.
However lots of the accused didn’t confess, even supposing movies of their acts had been proven on massive screens within the courtroom. Police had discovered hundreds of photographs and movies on the husband’s pc drives that supplied prosecutors proof of the abuse. Gisèle Pelicot had insisted such proof be proven in court docket.
She grew to become one thing of a hero for crowds of principally girls who gathered exterior the court docket.
“She gave us an important gift by demanding that this trial be open for the world to see. So we have to be here to support her,” mentioned supporter Chantal Cremont.
There have been different exhibits of assist for the sufferer, reminiscent of a current demonstration in Paris.
“We’re very proud of her because she’s very strong and what she did — she’s really brave,” mentioned Amélie Chauveau, who attended the Paris rally in November.
Many French males, in the meantime, have expressed disgrace. Some used the hashtag #NotAllMen in social media posts distancing themselves from the horrible acts. That worries journalist Victoire Tuaillon, who hosts a podcast that explores male violence.
“Most think that these men are kind of monsters, totally different from them, you know? They think that, the case doesn’t really concern them because they think that, I would never do that,” Tuaillon instructed NPR.
Mathieu Palain, who has written books on male violence towards girls, famous that the case uncovered how bizarre the perpetrators could possibly be.
“This frightening trial shows us that these men are not depraved criminals but actually regular guys who have wives and kids and jobs — a baker, a firefighter. They’re our brothers, our fathers. And that’s shocking,” Palain mentioned. “It would be easier to say these violent men have nothing to do with us.”
