Gisèle Pelicot’s life changed when she discovered that her husband, Dominique Pelicot, had been drugging and raping her for about a decade. Prior to the discovery of Mr. Pelicot’s abuse, Ms. Pelicot and her husband enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage, had three children, and lived a quiet life in the small town of Mazan, France. Mr. Pelicot’s abuse upended the lives of the whole family, with their son, David, labeling the situation “a trial of a devastated family.” The Pelicot children, who thought that Ms. Pelicot’s lapses were due to a brain tumor or Alzheimer’s, were disturbed to find out about their father’s drugging. Mr. Pelicot’s abuse also shocked Mazan, which was known for its family-oriented nature and largely retired population.
Dominique Pelicot was arrested in 2020 for using a hidden camera to film up women’s skirts as they shopped. After police confiscated Mr. Pelicot’s phone, they found over 20,000 photos displaying Mr. Pelicot and more than 50 other men raping Ms. Pelicot. A majority of the men claimed they genuinely believed they had obtained “consent” through Mr. Pelicot’s approval, but Mr. Pelicot argued that the individuals “knew they were being invited to rape his wife.” Regardless, Mr. Pelicot was fully aware that he and the other men were assaulting Ms. Pelicot, because he blatantly labeled a folder containing photos of her being violated as “abuse”.
Following the discovery of the evidence on Mr. Pelicot’s phone, a trial commenced on September 2, 2024, that named Mr. Pelicot and 50 other men as co-defendants. The trial was highly publicized throughout the world. In an act of courage, Gisèle Pelicot waived her anonymity in the trial, asked that the trial be public, and requested that French society “take up the debates” that the trial launched about sexual violence.
The trial ended on December 19, 2024 and resulted in a 20-year prison sentence for Mr. Pelicot and a sexual assault conviction for 49 of the other 50 male perpetrators, with accompanying prison sentences. In addition, while Mr. Pelicot was awaiting his trial, police found DNA evidence linking Mr. Pelicot to a 1999 incident of the attempted rape of a 19-year-old girl. After several hours of questioning, Mr. Pelicot admitted that he tried to undress the woman because he wanted to “see her undressed body”.
More recently, new evidence has surfaced that suggests Mr. Pelicot sexually assaulted his daughter, Caroline Darian, in a similar manner to that of Ms. Pelicot. Forensic investigators uncovered several unconsented photos of Ms. Darian naked on Mr. Pelicot’s phone. Investigators also uncovered photo collages containing explicit images of Ms. Darian and Ms. Pelicot, which Mr. Pelicot had shared with strangers online. Ms. Darian has since filed a complaint alleging that she was sexually assaulted by her father. In addition, Ms. Darian, like her mother, used her experience as a sexual assault survivor to launch her “Don’t Put Me Under” campaign, aiming to raise awareness about drug-assisted rape.
The Pelicot trial, and Gisèle Pelicot’s bravery in particular, has sparked a vital conversation on the need to redefine rape laws in France, encouraging the country to broaden its legal understanding of sexual violence and to create clearer frameworks for holding perpetrators accountable. Currently, France’s definition of rape does not include sex without consent, which complicates litigation surrounding rape and sexual assault and often leads to criminal cases being dropped. Instead, France’s current definition of rape includes “Any act of sexual penetration…committed against another person by violence, constraint, threat or surprise.” As a result of the Pelicot trial, a definition of rape centered around consent is being debated and advocated for.
Outside of France, the trial has triggered a world-wide wave of discussions and the importance of amplifying survivors’ voices. Ms. Pelicot has turned her personal tragedy into a powerful movement and has come to be seen as a feminist activist in global society. She has declared her intent to “speak for all women who are drugged and don’t know about it,” and she has inspired women across the world to take action against sexual violence. In her eyes, this is not just about her own healing, but also about creating lasting change for future generations. Because of her courageous activism, Ms. Pelicot has been recognized as one of Time’s Women of the Year for her dedication and commitment “to be part of the solution” to combat gender-based violence.
For Ms. Pelicot, this journey has been one of reclaiming her power over her abusers and, in doing so, providing a powerful example for others. Her resilience sends a clear message: the voices of victims are valid and must be heard. Her courage has empowered countless others, both in France and around the world, to step forward and demand justice.
Gisèle Pelicot’s case also underscores an uncomfortable truth: that those who engage in sex buying and sexual violence do not always fit the “bad guy” stereotype. For example, Ms. Pelicot’s perpetrators consisted of men ranging in age from their twenties to seventies, and included married men and nurses, all roles that come with a certain level of trust or perceived safety. Nevertheless, anyone can purchase sex or commit sexually violent acts. This reality highlights the need for a broader societal shift, where the demand for sex is at the forefront of prosecution.
The CSE Institute advocates for the adoption of the Equality Model, which focuses on reducing demand by criminalizing the purchase of sex. This model is more effective than decriminalization or other models because it directly targets the root cause of exploitation—demand—while providing support and protection for victims. In the Pelicot case, Mr. Pelicot used the Coco.fr website, a website known for its illicit sexual content, to recruit men to have sex with Ms. Pelicot while she was sedated. The site has since been taken down after being connected to over 23,000 cases of sexual abuse in France alone. By criminalizing these perpetrators and targeting the platforms they use, society can more effectively address exploitation and prevent future harm.
The CSE Institute applauds Ms. Pelicot for her courageous acts of defiance against her perpetrators. It is imperative that survivors’ stories are acknowledged, respected, and acted upon when they are bravely shared. As Gisèle Pelicot continues to speak out against her perpetrators, her transparency sheds light on the shamefulness of sex-buying and emphasizes the urgent need for more resources and protections for survivors.
This piece is part of our first-year law student blog series. Congratulations to author Skylar Glass on being chosen!
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.