AssetID: 55479262
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: 'Hell and Back': Gisèle Pelicot Recounts Mass Rape Ordeal in Memoir
Caption: ‘Hell and Back’: Gisèle Pelicot Recounts Mass Rape Ordeal in Memoir. Gisèle Pelicot, whose ex-husband orchestrated years of drugging and rape, has released her memoir A Hymn to Life, detailing the abuse and her decision to speak publicly. The 73-year-old became a global symbol against sexual violence after waiving her anonymity during the 2024 trial that shocked France and prompted legal reform. She wrote that she refused silence so the perpetrators would not remain faceless men hidden among “neighbours and colleagues.” Police initially asked if she and her husband were swingers before showing her images of herself unconscious with strangers. Officers later told her that 53 men had raped her. Her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, and 50 other men were convicted in the case. In the memoir, Pelicot describes the agony of telling her children and the devastation faced by her daughter Caroline. She plans to visit her ex-husband in prison to demand answers about the years of abuse and whether other crimes were committed. Drawing strength from thousands of letters sent by women worldwide, Pelicot writes that finding love again and keeping “faith in people” has become her ultimate revenge. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
Keywords: Current Affairs & Politics,Gisèle Pelicot,Dominique Pelicot,A Hymn to Life,French mass rape trial,sexual violence,memoir release,France,rape law,reform,women’s rights,mass rape case,survivor testimony,courtroom trial,justice,abuse scandal
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