Survivor as icon

• Gisèle Pelicot, 72, was drugged and raped by her husband, Dominique Pelicot, and at least 50 others for over a decade.
• Pelicot requested the public trial of her case, which began in September.
• She aims to raise awareness about the use of drugs for abuse and hopes that “shame will change sides.”
• Pelicot’s husband, Dominique Pelicot, filmed her being sexually assaulted 100 times, with evidence stored in his computer under the label ‘abuses’.
• The assault came to light in 2020 after Pelicot was caught filming up skirts of women.
• Pelicot’s husband pleaded guilty in court, stating that he put her to sleep, offered her, and filmed her.
• The Pelicots were considered an “ideal couple” with three children and several grandchildren.
• Pelicot suffered from neurological problems, gynaecological issues, and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Her brave stand has resonated with hundreds of women worldwide, making her a “feminist icon” and a “heroine.”
• The trial is expected to continue till December, with Pelicot and the 50 men on trial facing 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated rape.
• Women activists are calling for a change in media coverage of rape and the call for the alleged perpetrators to be called out.