Gisèle Pelicot - The New York Times ‘Woman of the Year 2025’

In accordance with English and Welsh law, individuals who allege they are victims of rape and other sexual assaults are automatically entitled to lifelong anonymity once their allegation has been made. French criminal law also follows a similar principle but one brave woman refused to remain anonymous by bringing worldwide attention to the atrocities that were committed against her and in doing so, inspired a generation.

Ms Gisèle Pelicot (aged 72), accused her husband of 50 years, Mr Dominique Pelicot (aged 72), of drugging her, raping her and also orchestrating dozens of strangers to rape her over a gruelling nine year period. Ms Pelicot only discovered what had been happening to her when her husband had been arrested for another offence (up skirting multiple women in a supermarket in 2020) and the police later found the videos of the assaults against Ms Pelicot which Mr Pelicot had filmed.

During the trial, Ms Pelicot did not just waive her right to anonymity, but once the Judge made the decision that the videos of the rapes would only be shown to the jury and legal advocates, Ms Pelicot and her legal team insisted these videos be shown in Court without restriction. Ms Pelicot told the media that she “wanted to ensure that society could see what was happening” and she did just that.

Most recently, Ms Pelicot was recognised as one of the Women of the Year by Times magazine, who regarded her as “galvanizing a movement for survivors of sexual violence”.

This immense trial broke many misconceptions surrounding rape and rape culture, including that:

i) older people are not considered potential or actual targets of sexual assault – because of this misconception, this demographic have been under-identified and underserved as victims (according to NSVRC on ‘Sexual Violence in Later Life, 2010).

ii) what a ‘rapist’ looks like – there is no person of a certain race or background that is more likely to commit rape. Ms Pelicot’s rapists ranged from the ages of 26 and 74, had varying occupations from firefighters to nurses or retirees, and all with different backgrounds.

iii) martial rape is looked at differently to rape by a stranger - it was not until 1992 in England and Wales and 2006 in France that rape between married partners was criminalised and almost a quarter (24%) of British people continue to believe that non-consensual sex is not rape in long-term relationships (according to YouGov report on ‘Attitudes to Sexual Consent’, 2018)

The mass-rape trial ended on 19 December 2024 and saw 51 men convicted. Mr Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his crimes.

Ms Pelicot’s actions have shown a surge in more women coming forward with their own experiences of being victims of sexual assault and has attempted to alleviate the shame that is often associated with being raped.

Given that violent crimes against women and girls in England and Wales had increased by 37% from 2018 to 2023 (according to National Police Chief’s Council on ‘Violence Against Women and Girls’, 2024), it is important that these matters are highlighted and addressed and therefore, Ms Pelicot is celebrated as an inspirational woman.