Gisèle Pelicot, victim at the heart of the Mazan trial, forcefully explains why she refuses to change the name she bears, despite the horror of the actions of her ex-husband Dominique Pélicot.
This Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Gisèle Pélicot spoke for the last time as part of the Mazan trial which has been taking place at the Avignon courthouse since September 2. On the stand, she explained why she refuses to change her last name, a choice motivated by the desire to transform a story of shame into a fight for dignity, as recounted in Huffpost. The Mazan trial, which has been mobilizing the court for ten weeks, centers on facts of exceptional gravity.
Gisèle Pelicot accuses her ex-husband, Dominique Pélicot, of having raped her on numerous occasions and of having allowed 50 men to sexually assault her, under chemical submission. Faced with an attentive and moved court, Gisèle Pélicot denounced what she describes as “trial of cowardice”, emphasizing the need for societal change regarding the way we view sexual violence. But beyond the legal questions, she also spoke about the aftermath, forcefully defending her choice to keep the Pélicot family name.
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An imposed notoriety, an assumed symbol
Questioned by defense lawyers, Gisèle Pélicot explained that, unlike two of her children who changed their name, she does not wish to give up the surname she bears. “I have grandchildren named ‘Pélicot’ and I don’t want them to be ashamed of wearing it,” she declared. A choice which is part of her approach to combating the shame linked to rape and to do justice, not only to herself, but also to her family.
Since the start of the trial, Gisèle Pélicot has opposed a closed session, thus allowing significant media coverage. His face, now a symbol of resistance, has been sprayed on the walls of many cities. “When I arrived in this room, my children were ashamed to have the name Pélicot. I wanted to wear it so that they would not be ashamed,” she explained. She concludes with a strong statement: “We will remember Madame Pélicot, much less Monsieur Pélicot. I want my grandchildren not to be ashamed of having this name. We will remember the grandmother, Gisèle Pélicot.”
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Dominique Pélicot: a troubled defense
Dominique Pélicot, main accused in this trial, was also invited to speak this Tuesday. Faced with his children, he reaffirmed that he did not “never did any harm”, before seeking to justify his actions by evoking personal trauma. He spoke in particular of a sexual assault suffered in his childhood and of a gang rape which he witnessed.
In a confused speech, he tried to explain his behavior by saying: “If I came to do what I did through people who voluntarily accepted what I proposed, I must admit to him that it was to subdue a woman rebellious out of selfishness without making her suffer like my mother suffered, here you have my mobile, you can do with it what you want, but that’s how it is.”
Passionate about women's news, Agathe has been deciphering the latest trends for aufeminin since 2022. Her favorite areas? Psychology, nutrition and well-being advice, without forgetting the tips…
