In Avignon, where the left and activist organizations have been gaining momentum since the last legislative elections, the Mazan rape trial had a particularly significant impact, since it took place at the city’s judicial court.
For two months, many people, journalists and political figures have come to attend court hearings. If many feminists who live nearby were present on the hearing days to support Gisèle Pelicot, this trial had an international scope, given the seriousness of the alleged facts. Indeed, for two months, 51 men, including Gisèle Pelicot’s husband, were tried and heard, highlighting the systemic nature of rape and rape culture in our patriarchal society.
The end of the trial arriving this Thursday, the feminist organizations of Vaucluse decided to organize a large rally in front of the court “in support of Gisèle Pelicot and all victims of gender-based and sexual violence”.
News of feminist struggles
This weekend of struggles began on Friday, December 13 in the evening at the office of MP Raphaël Arnault, where a discussion was organized on the lessons of the trial and the news of feminist struggles, led by his deputy Mathilde Millat. This event brought together 50 people and gave rise to discussions on sexual violence in France, rape culture, but also pornography through a materialist reading and debates around the law for the integration of the notion of consent in the criminal definition of rape. This allowed for real confrontations of points of view, both on the analyses, but also on the perspectives of the feminist struggle, which more than ever needs to unite in the face of the rise of the far right.
Unitary gathering
The rally called the next day was a real success. Many feminist associations and organizations were present: Nous Tous, Family Planning, the Women’s Rights collective, the Pôle LBGT, La France insoumise, the NPA, Attac… More than 600 people gathered around speeches , slogans, songs, workshops for writing letters of support for Gisèle Pelicot, theater, dance, etc. A banner action by activists from the anti-fascist Young Guard was deployed on the ramparts to remind people that rape has no nationality and to provide their support to all victims of SGBV. The gathering, bringing together many young women in particular, helped lay the foundations for real resistance and feminist response to violence. It was also a moment of reflection for all the women for whom this trial was a mirror of the sexual violence they experienced.
The end of this heavy trial is approaching, with the verdict expected on Thursday, December 19. But feminist resistance is growing and intends to organize itself to continue the fight against all violence against women, and put an end to this system of patriarchal domination and exploitation.
LM
