in court, Gisèle Pelicot speaks for the last time

Final stretch before the end of the trial. For the last time, Gisèle Pelicot speaks. “We are feeling tired today”she whispers at the bar. “Some accused admit rape, but I had a lot of difficulty hearing that ultimately it was very banal to rape Gisèle Pelicot”she continues.

“They entered this room and saw an inert body, an unconscious woman… How can we leave this room and not go to the police?”questions Gisèle Pelicot in front of the Vaucluse criminal court. “I heard the accused say “I was under remote control”, “I took a Zolpidem”… For me it is the trial of cowardice. I'm not going to say more. It is time for this macho, patriarchal society to change. Let us change the way we look at rape. I don't have much more to add.”.

“You are a victim of rape and control”

M^e Nadia El Bouroumi steps up to the stand and asks Gisèle Pelicot, point blank: “Did Dominique Pelicot manipulate you on a daily basis?” The septuagenarian responds, outraged: “Master, I had a completely normal life with Mr. Pelicot. Do you honestly think I would have stayed with a man for 50 years if I had been manipulated every day?” M^e Bouroumi raises his voice: “I think that you are under a very strong influence from Mr. Pelicot, and even today, because I consider that Dominique Pelicot is particularly strong… Look, you cry when we talk about Dominique Pelicot's childhood! For me, you are a victim of rape and control”.

Another lawyer speaks. “How many rapes do you think there were?” “If I count it today, about 200 rapes,” she replies, referring to the accused but also to the men suspected of having gone to her home to rape her, but who could not be identified. The criminal lawyer refocuses the debate on Dominique Pelicot, explaining that, during this trial, he had spontaneously indicated that he raped Gisèle Pelicot two to three times a week. “In one year alone, we are more than a thousand”whispers the lawyer. Then, returning to the controversy concerning the statements of a lawyer who had said that there was “rape and rape”the black dress asks: “Is confessed rape less serious?” Gisèle Pelicot refuses to answer this question.

Another lawyer questions him about his relationship. “Mr. Pelicot had a lot of fantasies that perhaps I couldn't satisfy with him. I think he was very frustrated. I think what he wanted was Madame Pelicot, and not another person. As I did not agree to go to swingers clubs, he found the solution. I lost 10 years of my life, I am 72 years old. I don't know how much I have left, but I lost 10 years.”.