"Thank you for your courage, Gisèle Pelicot," the president of France's national assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, posted after the announcement that all 51 accused, including Pelicot's former husband, Dominique, had been found guilty.
One of the worst sex offenders in modern French history, Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the court in Avignon for drugging his then wife and inviting dozens of men to rape her in her home in the south of France over the course of almost a decade.
Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity so the trial could be held in public. "Through you, the voices of so many victims are being heard; shame is changing sides; the taboo has been broken. The world has changed," Braun-Pivet added.
Among foreign leaders to comment was Germany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who said Gisèle Pelicot had given "women around the world a strong voice. The shame always lies with the perpetrator."
This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the December 20, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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