Gisèle Pelicot talks about the trial and publishing a book after years of spousal violence

Gisèle Pelicot recounts her experiences while promoting her book 'A Hymn to Life'. The event became an opportunity to revisit the case that shocked public opinion and forced a debate on the definition of consent in French law. Criminal law in many European countries long struggled to recognize marital rape and crimes involving intoxicating substances. Only reforms in the 1980s and 1990s began to treat these acts seriously, and social campaigns slowly changed public awareness. The author, now 73, in recent interviews addresses her decision to waive victim anonymity and the strong support group of women who gathered outside the court in Avignon. The book describes years of manipulation and violence. Her then-husband, Dominique Pelicot, for nearly five years administered sedatives and sleeping pills to her to induce total incapacitation. He then committed rape and also enabled dozens of other men to do so. These crimes, referred to as chemical submission, are a particularly insidious form of violence because the victim often has no memory of the events. „He was loved by everyone. That's what is so terrifying” — Gisèle Pelicot The scale of the crimes only became known to the world in 2021, and the trial itself took place in 2024. Thanks to Pelicot's unprecedented decision to show her face in court, 51 men stood trial, including her husband, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison. The other perpetrators received sentences ranging from 10 to 18 years of imprisonment. Key sentences in the Gisèle Pelicot case: 1. Dominique Pelicot — 18 years imprisonment; 2. Co-perpetrators — 10-18 years imprisonment Today, Pelicot lives on the Île de Ré, where she is trying to rebuild her life. She emphasizes that the strength to act came primarily from her own children and the solidarity of other women. The sight of women who came to the court to support her is particularly etched in her memory. „I had to keep standing -- if I collapsed, I knew my children would too” — Gisèle Pelicot Her book is not only a document of personal tragedy but also an indictment of a society that too easily believes in appearances and a call for systemic change. Key dates in the Gisèle Pelicot case: 2021 — Case revealed by the media; 2024 — Criminal trial in Avignon; February 2026 — Book launch of 'A Hymn to Life' In her latest interviews, Pelicot also explains her motivations. She rejects the label of an icon, emphasizing that her fight was that of an ordinary woman for survival and dignity. She speaks about the difficult process of reconciliation with her family, who initially did not believe her testimony, and about understanding that forgiveness does not mean forgetting. The French Institute became one of the venues for the book promotion. The publication comes at a time when France and other European countries are considering tightening regulations concerning rape involving intoxicating substances, which often go undetected due to a lack of physical traces and victims' memory loss. Pelicot strives to give meaning to her trauma by acting on behalf of other victims.