The main victim in the Mazan rape trial expressed her indignation in the face of questions from defense lawyers and the presiding judge

“I never gave my consent!”

For the first time since the start of the Mazan rape trial, Gisèle Pelicot expressed her anger on September 18. She denounced the insinuations of complicity hurled by some of the defense lawyers, which she said tainted her dignity and implied that she had played a role in the sexual assaults she suffered between 2011 and 2020.

Public humiliation

“Ever since I arrived in this room, I’ve felt deeply humiliated. I’ve been called an alcoholic, insinuating that my state of inebriation would make me an accomplice of Monsieur Pelicot,” she declared before the Vaucluse criminal court. Gisèle Pelicot stresses her extreme vulnerability, pointing out that the videos that will be broadcast will attest to her inability to consent. “The experts were shocked by these images, and they are men,” she points out, adding that these accusations are a profound humiliation and degradation for her.

A Reaffirmation of Her Innocence

“Not for a single second did I consent to Monsieur Pelicot or the men involved,” asserts the 72-year-old victim of nearly 200 rapes, including 92 committed by the 50 co-defendants on trial since September 2 alongside her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot. She also denounces the absurdity of the notion of “rape and rape”, asserting that “a rape is a rape”, and criticizes those who try to minimize the seriousness of the acts suffered.

A Reaction to the Minimization of Acts

“Is rape measured in time? Three minutes, an hour? If it were their mother or sister, would they have the same defense?” she asks with palpable indignation. She strongly condemns the normalization of sexual assaults and the absence of any questioning of consent on the part of the accused. “They came to rape me, no matter how long. It’s despicable.”

A Response to the Defenders

Gisèle Pelicot forcefully reminds us that, despite the attempts of some lawyers to minimize the acts, it is crucial to maintain a fair and law-abiding perspective. The comments of lawyer Me de Palma, who had suggested that there were “rapes and rapes”, are severely criticized. “I’m sorry that the comments may have shocked you, but my intention was to remind you of the rules of law. But Madame, you mustn’t add salt to the debate,” retorts Me de Palma. Gisèle Pelicot rolls her eyes, showing her dismay at the controversy.