A mass rape trial that has garnered worldwide attention concluded on Thursday (19), with Dominique Pelicot, the main accused, and 50 other men all found guilty of raping or sexually assaulting Pelicot’s ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot.
Dominique Pelicot, 72, received the maximum sentence of 20 years for aggravated rape. He recruited men to rape his own wife while she was unconscious. Forty-eight other men were found guilty of aggravated rape and two of sexual assault.
The trial – which shocked France and led the country to examine a culture that struggles against widespread misogyny and systemic sexual assault – galvanized women to demand a change in how the country addresses gender-based violence.
They achieved this because of the unusual decision Gisèle Pelicot made to waive her anonymity to make the trial public – an act that many called heroic. For months, Gisèle faced her attackers in court, allowing the world to see the horrors she endured from her husband and dozens of other rapists for over a decade.
Under French law, Gisèle could have requested that the trial be held behind closed doors. Instead, she asked for it to be public, saying she hoped it would help other women to speak out and show other victims of sexual assault and rape that they have nothing to be ashamed of.
Speaking after the verdicts were delivered outside the court in Avignon, southern France, Gisèle emphasized her solidarity with other survivors of sexual assault.
“I think of all the unknown victims of stories that often unfold in the shadows. I want you to know that we share the same struggle,” she said.
The 72-year-old woman also stressed that she “never regretted” the decision to make this public, saying that the messages received from supporters gave her the “strength” needed to continue.
Although Dominique Pelicot received the maximum sentence allowed in France for aggravated rape, others who visited the couple’s home to commit the crime received lighter sentences.
This left many angry and disillusioned, including the children of Dominique and Gisèle Pelicot. They say such sentences fail to recognize the severity of the rapists’ crimes and highlight France’s subpar approach to dealing with sexual violence.
Olympe Desanges, a women’s rights activist, told CNN: “As a woman and feminist, I feel disappointed and humiliated by these verdicts.”
Sarah McGrath, CEO of Women for Women France, told CNN that France is “notorious for having really very lenient sentences.”
“We have a really problematic justice system when it comes to judging cases of this nature. Women in France simply do not trust the French justice system,” she said, pointing out that only 10% of rape victims report the crime to the justice system. And of those reports, only 1 to 4 percent end in a conviction.
Source: CNN