Men and women gathered in Paris and other French cities on Saturday to support Gisèle Pélicot and protest against sexual violence, highlighted by the trial of her ex-husband and dozens of men accused of raping her while she was drugged and unconscious.
These protests, held outside Paris' criminal court and in cities like Lyon, showed how Pélicot’s bravery in sharing her story has inspired many people, even as they are shocked by the abuse she endured over a decade.
Since the trial began on September 2, Pélicot has faced 51 of her alleged rapists. She has been praised for her calm and for keeping the trial public, even though the court initially wanted to hold it privately.
Elsa Labouret, from the group "Osez le féminisme!" (Dare to be feminist!), said, "What she decided to do is very important because now we can't ignore the violence some men resort to." Demonstrators criticized the French justice system's weak response to sexual violence and the constant fear women face of being raped or assaulted.
Protest signs read messages like "Shame must change sides" and "We are all Gisèle. Are you all Dominique?"
Dominique Pélicot, Gisèle's ex-husband, admitted during the trial that he drugged her and invited other men to rape her while she was unconscious. He also raped her himself and said the other men knew exactly what they were doing. Since then, she has divorced him. The trial is expected to continue until December.
Some of the 50 other defendants, aged 26 to 74, deny raping Gisèle, claiming they were manipulated or believed she was consenting.
One protester, student Khalil Ndiaye, said, “You never know who could be a rapist. It could be your neighbor or anyone.” He added that he sees Gisèle as an icon for her decision to fight and not give up, inspiring others to stand up, too.
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