Gisèle Pelicot gives first TV interview following conviction of husband and accomplices

On December 19, 2024, Dominique Pelicot and several other men were convicted for the serial rape of Gisèle Pelicot in a case that drew global attention to sexual violence. Following the trial, 73-year-old Gisèle Pelicot appeared on France 5 for her first television interview to discuss her experiences and her upcoming memoir, titled "Hymn to Life." During the interview, she detailed the shock of discovering that her husband of 50 years had been drugging her and inviting strangers to assault her over a period of years. The discovery occurred on November 2, 2020, after police showed her photographic evidence found following her husband's arrest for filming at a supermarket. Pelicot noted that she initially did not recognize herself in the images because she was unconscious. She has since become a feminist symbol, championing the slogan "shame must change sides" to support other victims of sexual violence. Her memoir is scheduled for release in 22 languages, aiming to transform her trauma into a message of hope.