The Interview Gisèle Pelicot: Shame must be carried by the accused, not the victims
Feb 17, 2026
Gisèle Pelicot, survivor who waived anonymity to confront decades of abuse, speaks about discovering mass betrayal and seeking justice. She discusses the shock of learning the scale of assaults. She explains choosing to go public to shift shame onto perpetrators. She describes courtroom confrontations, public support, and her hope to inspire other survivors.
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Discovery Of Decades-Long Abuse
- Gisèle Pelicot discovered in 2020 that police had evidence her husband had drugged and raped her and invited dozens of men into their home.
- She learned initially that at least 53 men had taken part and later that many more remained unidentified and free.
Family Torn Apart By Revelations
- The revelations destroyed Gisèle's family and strained relationships, particularly with her daughter Caroline who believes she was also abused.
- Gisèle described a long, painful rebuild and differing emotional responses between them.
Chemical Control Explained Memory Loss
- Her husband used both sedatives and powerful muscle relaxants so she neither remembered nor felt pain after the assaults.
- That chemical control explains why she initially couldn't recognise what had been done to her.