Gisèle Pelicot calls out rape culture in historic French trial

Gisèle Pelicot, who was unknowingly subjected to over a decade of rape by her husband and dozens of other men, gave her closing statement on Tuesday in one of France’s biggest criminal trials in recent history.

She called out “macho” and “patriarchal” attitudes on rape, saying, “it’s time we changed the way we look at rape.”

In 2020, Pelicot’s husband, Dominique Pelicot, admitted to drugging his wife and inviting men over to their family home to sexually assault her while she was unconscious over the span of nine years, after police stumbled on videos and pictures he had recorded of the abuse.

Some of the 51 men accused claimed in court that they didn’t realise Pelicot had been drugged, denying the rape charges. Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity during the trial, responded to this on Tuesday by calling the case one of “cowardice”.

“There is no other way to describe it,” she said. “Rape is rape. When you walk into a bedroom and see a motionless body, at what point (do you) not react? Why did you not leave right away to report it to the police?”

Women’s rights organisations and campaigners against domestic abuse have highlighted that the Pelicot case has again highlighted how pornography, chatrooms, and men’s disregard for or hazy understanding of consent is fuelling rape culture.

The core of the argument is not that Dominique Pelicot simply arranged for men to rape his wife; he also had no difficulty finding dozens of those willing to take part.

Since the trial began, Gisèle Pelicot’s case has garnered immense domestic and international interest, triggering nationwide protests in her support.

The day before, Pelicot’s two sons, David and Florian, testified against their father.

The trial is expected to deliver a verdict around 20 December.