Who is Gisèle Pélicot? The French feminist heroine who gained global support
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Gisele Pelicot became an unwitting feminist symbol after taking the stand to expose the sexual violence she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband and dozens of other men. Today, her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot was found guilty of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife for almost a decade, and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her.
![[Gisele Pelicot looks on at the Avignon courthouse for the trial of her former partner Dominique Pelicot]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GettyImages-2188888244.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The 72-year-old attended almost all of the court hearings and was present as the revolting videos of her assaults – filmed by her husband – were shown. In almost two months of testimony, the court heard from dozens of accused men. Pelicot listened as the majority denied raping her – and how they thought she was pretending to be asleep or was playing a game.
![[Demonstrators hold signs at a protest in support of rape victims and Gisele Pelicot]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SEI_221570196-90eb.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
She took the stand and said: ‘A rapist is not just someone you meet in a dark car park late at night. He can also be found in family, among friends.’. To modern women in France, Gisele Pelicot is a hero. But until police knocked on her door four years ago, exposing the crimes, she lived a normal life as a wife, mother, and grandmother.
![[Courtroom sketch by Valentin Pasquier shows Gisele Pelicot, left, and her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot, right]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/SEI_226747872-d1ba.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
If you have been the victim of rape, either recently or historically, and are looking for help, support is out there. Read more here. While victims of rape usually quietly struggle with the shame of what men did to them, she has been praised for her courage to stand up to her alleged attackers.
![[Demonstrators gather in support of rape victims and Gisele Pelicot]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SEI_221579437-80f3.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
