In a stunning display of courage, 72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot took the stand in an Avignon courtroom, allowing videos of her being repeatedly raped while comatose to be shown as evidence against her ex-husband and 50 other men. Her refusal to be shamed has ignited a firestorm of outrage across France, with protests demanding an end to the normalization of sexual violence. But will this watershed moment translate into the systemic reforms needed to ensure justice for victims?
A Broken System Failing Victims
The Pelicot trial has exposed deep flaws in how justice systems handle rape cases. Too often, it is the victim’s credibility, character, and choices that are scrutinized rather than the accused’s actions. Consent becomes a murky concept used to blame victims. Reporting remains abysmally low, with only 1 in 6 rapes in England and Wales being reported to police. Of those, a mere 2.7% result in charges.
Rape and sexual assault are the gold standard offences for perpetrators because there is so little retribution.
Observer columnist Yvonne Roberts
While individual cases like Pelicot’s and others can inspire more victims to come forward, experts stress that piecemeal progress is not enough. Radical, holistic reform of criminal justice systems is urgently needed to correct the skewed power dynamics that deter reporting and rarely deliver accountability.
Expanding Frontiers of Abuse
The Pelicot case has also highlighted the insidious new forms that sexual violence is taking in the digital age. Voyeurism aided by hidden cameras and surveillance tech, the growing influence of degrading porn, and vicious online harassment are exposing women to abuse on an unprecedented scale. In Pelicot’s case, her rapists were a disturbing cross-section of society, aged 26 to 74, including a nurse, with some even claiming victimhood themselves.
It’s literally impossible to be a man in the western world.
Andrew Tate, currently jailed in Romania on trafficking and rape charges
Victim-blaming and toxic masculinity remain rampant, as exemplified by the reprehensible online “support” offered to MMA fighter Conor McGregor by Andrew Tate after McGregor was found liable for rape in a recent civil case. The “manosphere” backlash to women’s fight for justice shows change will not come without resistance.
Men Must Be Part of the Solution
While the Pelicot trial has galvanized women to demand reform, activists stress that men must also take responsibility for challenging the deeply rooted misogyny and sexist attitudes that enable abuse. Beyond legal reforms, a profound cultural shift is needed.
- Men must actively call out and condemn sexual violence and harassment by their peers
- Comprehensive consent education should be mandatory in schools and workplaces
- Funding and access to support services for victims must be increased
- Representation of women in law enforcement, judiciary, and policymaking is crucial
According to a recent Ifop poll, nearly 75% of French people believe the Pelicot trial demonstrates the extent to which sexual violence has become trivialized in society. Many are now calling for the French legal definition of rape to be expanded to include lack of consent, rather than just the current wording referencing “violence, threat, constraint or surprise.”
A Catalyst for Change?
Gisèle Pelicot’s bravery in refusing to be silenced or humiliated has undoubtedly created a powerful rallying cry. Thousands have demonstrated across France under the slogan “Let Us Sleep!” and the hashtag #LeaveUsInPeace. The French government has vowed to launch new drug-facilitated rape awareness campaigns and increase support for victims.
I’m expressing myself here not with anger but with a will for society to change.
Gisèle Pelicot, addressing the court
But real change will require more than awareness and outrage. It will take the sustained efforts of citizens, advocates, and leaders – women and men together – to dismantle the power structures and prejudices that treat sexual violence as inevitable. It will mean creating a culture of enthusiastic consent, accountability and respect.
As Pelicot stated in court when asked why she kept her married name: “I have grandchildren called Pelicot. I want them to be proud.” For the sake of Pelicot’s grandchildren and future generations of all genders, the courage she has shown must now be matched by a commitment to transformative action. The road ahead is long, but the Pelicot trial may one day be remembered as the spark that lit the way forward.
