Before the verdict on the Mazan rapes, this Thursday morning: “Thank you Gisèle”

“Thank you Gisèle”: the banner which floated Thursday morning in front of the Avignon courthouse, before the verdict this morning in the historic Mazan rape trial, sums up the message of gratitude from women and men towards the one who wanted “for shame to change sides”.

Since the start of this trial, almost four months ago, of the 51 men tried, most of them for aggravated rape of Gisèle Pelicot, the walls of this city in the south-east of France have been covered with collages against sexual violence. and for women’s rights.

The latest messages from the Amazones d’Avignon collective have been displayed since Wednesday evening: “Justice for all”, “Shame has changed sides, and justice?”, and the biggest, “Thank you”.

“Rape affects women all over the world, that’s why the whole world has its eyes on what’s going to happen,” says Ghislaine Sainte Catherine, one of the members of this feminist collective.

Between these mobilizations against sexual violence, the rush of the media, the queue since dawn to hope to have one of the rare places reserved for the public and a large police force, the verdict is awaited with excitement.

Extraordinary in terms of the number of accused and the facts alleged – a husband, Dominique Pelicot, who drugged his wife, Gisèle, for a decade, to rape her and have her raped in the marital home by dozens of strangers recruited on the internet – , this trial made the ravages of violence against women widely resonate.

For having renounced the closed session, to which rape victims are entitled, and publicly facing the men accused of having raped her, Gisèle Pelicot, 72, has become a feminist icon.

“Thank you to her, because for many women who are victims of rape, the shame has now changed sides,” rejoices Pascale Plégal, computer engineer.

In front of the court, Thursday at dawn, a 69-year-old woman had been waiting since 5:20 a.m., like every morning since the hearings began on September 2. Initially coming to discover the progress of a trial, Bernadette Teyssonières, retired from near Avignon, also expresses her gratitude and admiration for Gisèle Pelicot.

“I am impressed by the courage this woman, who had suffered all this for ten years, had to come out into the open,” she confided to AFP, “the shame must rest on the attackers” .

Like dozens of other people, in the courtroom, she applauded her, day after day.

But, on this day of verdict, Bernadette is not sure of having a place in the broadcast room, because the media from all over the world have rushed to Avignon.

There are nearly 180 accredited people, including 86 foreigners, some with several journalists. Many police officers will also be present in and around the courtroom, as 32 co-defendants appear free but could be taken directly to prison if convicted.

But for her, more than the verdict against these men aged 27 to 74 and from all social backgrounds tried in this case, it is “everything that happened before in the trial which will remain the most important”: “ Try to understand how this gentleman got there, why men, when they arrived in Ms. Pelicot’s room, still continued their act while she was inert, instead of leaving straight away.

She hopes that this trial will make it possible to discuss more openly and widely in families the question of consent, of respect for everyone in sexuality.

Hugo Mazure, an 18-year-old political science student, arrived at the court at 5:25 a.m. for this crucial day. Over the past year and a half, he’s been reading more about feminism and this trial has made him think even more about his actions as a man. “THANKS! It is clearly a symbol of a struggle which is enormous and thanks to it we will have progress!”