Centre for Women’s Justice welcomes the French Court’s verdict in the case of Gisèle Pelicot and applaud the courage and dignity of Gisèle which has given great hope to survivors around the world.
Dominique Pelicot has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. All of the 50 other men on trial have been found guilty - 46 of them guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape and two guilty of sexual assault.
Harriet Wistrich, Director of Centre for Women’s Justice, said:
“This case has been a game changer in shining a light on the prevalence of rape culture in everyday society and in shifting the narrative from victim blaming to placing the shame on the perpetrators. It has highlighted marital rape and the banality of rapists who can be men from any walk of life.
“It has also highlighted the use of drugs to incapacitate victims and whilst the French law of rape does not rely on absence of consent, in this case rendering the victim unconscious must have rightly been regarded as a form of coercion.”
ENDS