“As a feminist, we have a duty to live up to Gisèle's legacy”: several hundred people, mainly from Spain, demonstrated on Friday in front of the Avignon courthouse, where The Mazan rape trial ended the day before.
“Gisèle (Pelicot) allowed everything to be public. It is up to us to ensure that this sacrifice is not in vain,” declared during this gathering, where a majority of women were present, Blandine Deverlanges, the founder of the Les Amazones d’Avignon collective, under a banner floating in front of the palace proclaiming “Thank you Gisèle”.
“Only feminist mobilization will allow us to continue to move the lines. We are present, we are united, we will continue to fight, to denounce male violence,” added Blandine Deverlanges.
“In France, the rapist is king”
Carrying photos of Gisèle Pelicot, signs reading “In France, the rapist is king” or the now classic “Thank you Gisèle”, the demonstrators repeated slogans in French and Spanish such as “Gisèle, we are with you” or “Abolition of pornography”.
“The sentences are not strong enough. Rape is not like stealing a car. Our body is us. To violate it is to completely disregard our humanity. Will the government, in France or Spain, really put in place education policies concerning equality and respect? “, Pilar Aguilar, president of the Spanish Feministas al Congreso party, told AFP.
Responding to the call of Spanish associations such as the Forum de Politica Feminista and the Coordinadora Feminista of Valencia (western Spain), demonstrators came in two buses, but also by car from Barcelona and Madrid, and even in plane from the Canary Islands, around 200 people in all, according to Pilar Aguilar.
Gisèle Pelicot had refused the closed session to which she was entitled to the trial of her attackers, opening the hearing to the public and the press and initiating a broad debate on violence against women.
After four months of hearing, this extraordinary trial ended with the sentencing of Dominique Pelicot to 20 years in prison for having drugged his now ex-wife to rape her and have her raped by strangers recruited on the Internet.
The 50 men tried alongside him were also all found guilty and sentenced to sentences ranging from three years in prison, two of which were suspended, to 15 years.
