In a moment of raw courage that has once again gripped France and the world, 72-year-old Gisèle Pelicot returned to the courtroom this week—not as a silent survivor, but as a defiant voice demanding justice. Facing a man who is appealing his rape conviction, Pelicot delivered a blistering rebuke that laid bare the enduring trauma of one of France’s most harrowing criminal cases.
Table of Contents
- The Pelicot Case: A National Reckoning
- Gisèle Pelicot Confronts Her Assailant
- The Appeal and Its Implications
- Why This Case Changed France
- Sources
The Pelicot Case: A National Reckoning
The Gisèle Pelicot case shocked France when it came to light in 2024. For nearly a decade, her then-husband, Dominique Pelicot, secretly drugged her and invited dozens of strangers—many met online—to sexually assault her while she lay unconscious. The evidence? Thousands of videos and photos he recorded himself.
In December 2024, Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men were convicted of rape. Sentences ranged from three to 20 years. The trial was historic—not just for its scale, but because Gisèle insisted it be public, forcing a national conversation about consent, victim-blaming, and the definition of rape.
Gisèle Pelicot Confronts Her Assailant
This week, only one man appealed his conviction: Husamettin Dogan, a 44-year-old father sentenced to nine years. During the appeal hearing in Nîmes, graphic videos were replayed in open court—showing Gisèle deeply sedated, unmoving, while Dogan engaged in sexual acts with her limp body. At one point, the judge noted she appeared “nearly suffocating.”
Dogan claimed he believed the encounter was consensual, saying Dominique Pelicot told him Gisèle had taken relaxants and would “wake up little by little.” He even asserted he was “a victim” too—prompting Gisèle to interrupt from the stand: “The only victim in the room here is me.”
She didn’t hold back. “When are you going to recognize you raped me?” she demanded. “It’s a crime to rape an unconscious woman. When did I ever give you consent? Never.”
The Appeal and Its Implications
Dogan’s defense hinges on a dangerous misconception—that consent can be assumed or delegated. Legal experts say his appeal has little chance of success, given the overwhelming visual evidence and prior jury verdict. Still, the fact that he’s challenging the conviction underscores a persistent cultural problem: the minimization of non-violent rape.
Gisèle made it clear she returned to court not for herself, but to ensure the truth wasn’t distorted. “I thought I was on the right path to rebuilding my life,” she said. “But I needed to answer these questions—because silence helps no one.”
Why This Case Changed France
Gisèle Pelicot refused to be anonymous. She allowed her name, face, and story to become public—a radical act in a country where rape victims are often shielded for their “protection.” Her choice sparked a national reckoning, with lawmakers, activists, and ordinary citizens confronting uncomfortable truths about gender, power, and justice.
Despite being called a “feminist icon,” she rejects the label. “I am not an icon,” she told the court. “I am an ordinary woman who decided to speak up.”
Her courage has already led to calls for legal reforms, including stricter penalties for drugging and clearer definitions of consent in French law. As the appeal verdict looms, one thing is certain: Gisèle Pelicot’s voice will not be silenced.
