Described as “a feminist figure,” “a heroine” and “an icon,” Gisèle Pelicot became a symbol in the French media and far beyond in just a few days. Her story was picked up by the American, European and even Indian press. The widespread recognition stemmed from her courageous decision to share her personal ordeal in an open-court trial, in the hope that “shame will change sides,” in the words of one of her lawyers.

The New York Times highlighted the impact of her decision: “By opening the doors to the public, Ms. Pelicot has opened up the view not only onto her own collapsing life and the legal process around rape but also onto the regular, mundane, normal profiles of the accused men. And many women credit her with skewering the myth of the monster rapist.”

The disturbing nature of the case attracted widespread attention: “She thought she was suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s or a brain tumor. But it was something more sinister: a husband she was in love with,” reported Spain’s El Pais. The German weekly Der Spiegel devoted an article to Pelicot titled, “Gisèle, merci [in French],” calling her “a heroine for women the world over”. According to La Libre Belgique, she has become “a symbol, in France and far beyond.”

‘Ordinary men’

“Although The Post typically does not name victims of sex crimes, in this instance, the woman asked to be identified by her married name,” writes the American daily. She asked for the trial to take place in open court so the world could know what had happened to her at the hands of her now ex-husband.”

The trial has also reverberated in India, a country regularly confronted with sexual violence cases. The Times of India described France as “shocked,” following each major development in the case.

Many foreign journalists were dispatched to Avignon to cover the trial. However, journalists also flocked to the town of Mazan in southern France where the couple lived. BBC correspondent Andrew Harding visited the “quiet village” to investigate how such a tragedy could unfold in silence. He interviewed local women to gain insight into the situation and also spoke with the village mayor, whose controversial comments sparked public criticism.

While several media outlets refer to Gisèle Pelicot’s husband, Dominique Pelicot, and his co-defendants as “ordinary men,” the Italian daily La Repubblica added a significant nuance to its headline: “Francia, sotto processo il branco di uomini ordinari che stuprava Gisèle Pelicot” (“France judges the pack of ‘ordinary men’ who raped Gisèle Pelicot”). The term “pack” emphasized the collective nature of the crime.

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