Gisèle Pelicot and the trial that changed France | The Story

Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity when her husband - and dozens of other men - were charged with raping and sexually assaulting her. Her decision allowed journalists to cover the trial in full and made her a feminist icon in France. But as we await the final verdicts and sentencing, what does the case tell us about French attitudes to rape? And with the French government promising change, will this be a watershed moment?

The episode contains discussion of rape and sexual assault.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times.

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Host: Manveen Rana.

Guests:

Constance Kampfner, Northern Correspondent, The Times.
Katie Tarrant, News Reporter, The Sunday Times.
Clips: Euronews, The Times, France24, Paris Match, Channel 4, BBC, Forbes.

Image credit: Getty Images.

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[Conorguill]

The scariest thing about all of this is the other men. One evil, psychopathic man is terrible but the ease with which he seems to have recruited so many others is baffling and genuinely scary

[emmiebl]

Gisele Pelicot is changing the course of history for so many women- and not just in France. Her bravery is an inspiration to all❤

[lechenaultia]

May you spend the rest of your life in health, happiness and peace, surrounded by people who cherish and protect you, Madame Pelicot

[OrcFriedRice]

The defendant that thinks he is one of the victims is disgusting. No self reflection. No accountability. The fact he is a nurse is terrifying. He should not be trusted with anyone, let alone the sick and vulnerable.

[kesart]

No excuse is acceptable. As a father, grandfather, former husband, I find this all quite monstrous and totally unforgivable. And no pseudo- scientific rationalisation is acceptable.

[mushypeasplease]

Wow that male nurse is a real piece of work. When caught in the act of r*pe, he redefines the meaning of the word and redefines the r*pist as the victim and the actual victim as the perpetrator. Just revealing the typical mindset of every r*pist. God knows what repulsive acts he's subjected female patients to over the years. Even his "explanation" to "prove" his innocence, that it was supposedly sold to him as a game, betrays his inner r*pist, in that he didn’t even think he needed her consent, from her, just supposedly took the other man's word for it. Wow. Just wow. And he was a nurse. This case has made me even less trusting of men in professional (or maybe any) settings.

[teresaareces]

I believe her, I’m with this lady, my husband , my high school sweetheart, no one else before him we were married in 1971 I was 19 years old, we had no children, he did the same thing to me back in 1978 when I was 26 years old, he claimed “because he wanted to “ thank God it only happened 1 time, I stay quiet for his family sake he didn’t want them to know they were very Catholic and good conservative family, I loved them very much to hurt them by telling them about their son, that’s why I didn’t brought him to court, i separated from him immediately and I did divorced him in 1979!
This damaged me tremendously and the trust in another men was gone for ever, I’m now 73 years old, believe me it still hurts !
I HOPE THE JUDGES DO MAKE THE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT DECISION !
May God bless her and her children 🫶

[GlobalCitizen]

I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for Gisèle Pelicot to deal with this. She shows immense strength.
I am so angry at the people who committed these heinous acts.

[izzytrue]

This is NOT about France it's about the whole WORLD!!!

[Mikado-zf]

I have such respect for the way Giselle Pelicot and her children are handling this nightmare. I hope that they feel the support and find a bit peace of mind.

I previously had only a vague understanding of this case. The quality of this coverage /explanation is excellent.

[b.t]

why don't they show the husband and other rapists faces?

[magdalenadacunto]

I admire her for wanting everything to be exposed. Her husband is a monster.

[SallyIronic]

So this male nurse, this "poor victim" of a feminist conspiracy was accidently on this abusive website called "Without her knowledge" and accidently went to the house and saw a dead like limp woman but he as an actual nurse would have never guessed that she had been drugged.

[ldujpve]

Not allegation.... footage and his confession. Vile man. Vile men.

[name-cesn]

Brave Brave woman Madame Pelicot never give up. The bravest woman in the world. ❤

[cherylcook]

It is terriable what happen to Gisele but that is only part of the travesty of what that monster did to her. After his arrest, she found out that she was bankrupt because of his actions. She has had to sell her home and most of her possessions. She left with 2 suitcases of clothes/possessions at age 72! I hope that France has social security and her pension- penniless! What is terriable is that we will think of her as a victim not what a wonderful wife and mother she is- she made a family! She was a well respected Logistics engineer. She had a career that she was respected for greatly. I admire her courage and pray for and her children.

[artgrrl]

What this one woman has endured is a representation of what many women endure. The number of men willing to violate women is alarming. It forces one to ask the question: “what is systematically wrong with men?”

[riverdeep]

A nurse not sure if someone is unconscious or faking it. Sounds like a poor excuse or an incompetent worker.

[Between_earth_and_heaven]

How can this not be a capital crime? What has been taken from Mdme Pelicot - her autonomy, her sense of safety and dignity, her right to consent - can never be returned to her. There is no possible restitution. She conveyed to her husband and to her husband alone the right to intimacy, in exchange for the right to his protection. From his enjoying, filming, and relishing her repeated degradation, her being infected, her being treated as a human trash can, it is clear that her husband has seethed with hatred for her for over a decade. She has lived with a monster. I would not pay for him to live in prison for a single day. Only capital punishment seems to fit the crime.