‘The face of dignity and resilience:’ Gisèle Pelicot is hailed for her bravery as harrowing trial comes to an end

One of the most harrowing stories of the year has finally come to a close. This is the story of Gisèle Pelicot, a French grandmother who was subjected to the most unimaginable crime.

For over a decade, her husband Dominique Pelicot drugged her without her knowledge and invited other men to rape her while she was unconscious. Dominique’s crimes only came to light when he was caught taking upskirt photos in a supermarket, and now his daughter—who he also drugged, and took semi-naked photos of—has called him “the worst sexual criminal of the last 20 years.” His actions chill the blood. He destroyed Gisèle’s health and wellbeing, raping her and enticing 50 others to rape her.

Gisèle waived her right to anonymity during the trial, ensuring the whole world saw what had happened to her. As the trial continued, she became more and more of a feminist icon, with people frequently showing up outside the courthouse with signs celebrating her bravery. One popularly used slogan was the powerful, “Shame changes sides.” Gisèle herself said in her testimony, “When you’re raped there is shame, and it’s not for us to have shame–it’s for them.”

Pelicot was today sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated rape. At the age of 71, he will most likely die in prison. The other 50 men were also sentenced, and Gisèle was present as each and every sentence was handed down. 47 of these men were found guilty of rape, with two guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault. Their sentences were unfortunately lower than many people were hoping, with some allowed to go free having already served their time. The Pelicot children are especially said to be disappointed in this, and social media users took to X to share their anger as well.

The man who raped Gisèle come from all sorts of different backgrounds and careers. Some of them made excuses for what they had done, claiming they thought they were participating in a consensual game—but they were still found guilty. One raped Gisèle on the night his own daughter was being born. Another man, Jean-Pierre Marechal, did not rape Gisèle but rather followed Dominique Pelicot’s lead to drug and rape his own wife. The BBC has a list of every man who participated, their full name, and their sentence.

It’s horrifying that 50 men raped Gisèle, that her own husband betrayed her, and yet her bravery cannot be overstated. She fought to take back the personhood that had been stolen from her. Social media is currently erupting in praise for her, and it’s no less than she deserves. Some are using edits of Gisèle on the front cover of Time as Person of the Year—sadly she was not granted this honor; rapist and convicted felon Donald Trump got it instead.

Gisèle gave a powerful statement today at the conclusion of the trial. Speaking to the multitudes who had gathered, she spoke of her children and grandchildren before showing solidarity with other victims, saying she was, “thinking of the unrecognized victims, whose stories often remain in the shadows. I want you to know that we share the same fight.”

Then she spoke of her decision to waive her anonymity, a decision that saw her become a role model for women all across the world. “I wanted all of society to be a witness to the debates that took place here,” she said. “I have never regretted that decision.”

Hopefully Gisèle Pelicot will now have nothing but comfort and peace for the rest of her life.