Andorra la VellaThe French Co-Prince of Andorra and President of France, Emmanuel Macronhas publicly expressed his recognition to Gisele Pelicotthe victim of a case of massive sexual violence that has marked a before and after in the fight against this type of crime in the country.
After the court in Avignon handed down a historic sentence on Thursday sentencing the 51 accused of abusing her for a decade to 428 years in prison, Macron highlighted Pelicot’s courage and dignity with an emotional message on social media :
“Thank you, Gisèle Pélicot. For this gesture of justice in the name of which you faced the test with your head held high. For women, who forever have a pioneer to speak and fight. For us, because your dignity and your courage have moved and inspired France and the world.”
A case that has shaken France and the world
Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old woman, decided to publicly face the legal process after discovering that she had been drugged and raped by her husband, Dominique Pelicot, and fifty other men over the course of ten years. The victim broke the silence to break the stigma, with the aim of changing “the shame on the side”.
The process has been exceptional both for the courage of Pelicot, who renounced the usual anonymity in these cases, and for the amount of evidence provided, which included images and videos collected by the husband himself. Convicts include a wide range of social profiles: from ordinary workers to a journalist, a military man and a municipal councillor.
The sentence and its implications
The court has imposed sentences of up to 20 years in prison on the victim’s husband, the maximum penalty for aggravated rape, while other defendants have received sentences of between 3 and 15 years. Despite the forcefulness of the sentences, some feminist organizations have regretted that six of the defendants have not received effective prison sentences.
The prosecutor of the case, Laure Chabaud, has assured that this sentence marks “a before and an after” in the fight against male violence in France, although there is still a way to go. Pelicot, for his part, has positively assessed the social repercussion of the case and has stated that he does not regret having made his story public.
A legacy of struggle and hope
The Gisèle Pelicot case has transcended the courtrooms and become a symbol of resistance against sexual violence. His struggle inspires future actions such as the inauguration of crisis centers for victims of sexual assault, one of which, in Oviedo (Spain), will bear his name.
In Macron’s words, the case has not only shaken France, but has sent a message to the world about the importance of not remaining silent in the face of injustice. Gisèle Pelicot leaves a legacy that will continue to be a benchmark for future generations of victims and activists fighting to eradicate sexual violence.