When Gisèle Pelicot walked into a courtroom in Avignon in September 2024, she chose to face the men accused of raping her — and forced France to look with her. Her decision to waive her legal right to anonymity turned a horrifying criminal case into a national reckoning. This article lays out the verified facts of the Pelicot case, the trial verdicts, and what her story means for survivors of sexual violence in France and beyond.

Year of case revelation: 2020 ·
Number of accused men in trial: 51 ·
Duration of abuse by husband: Approximately 10 years ·
Age of Gisèle Pelicot during trial: 71 ·
Husband’s name: Dominique Pelicot

Quick snapshot

1Who is Gisele Pelicot
  • French woman, born in the 1950s (BBC News)
  • Resident of Mazan, France (BBC News)
  • Former employee at a pharmaceutical company (BBC News)
2The Crime
  • Drugged by husband for roughly 10 years (Reuters)
  • Sexually assaulted by dozens of men while unconscious (Reuters)
  • Husband filmed the assaults (Reuters)
3The Trial (2024)
  • Dominique Pelicot convicted of aggravated rape (BBC News Live)
  • 50 other men tried for rape or assault (BBC News Live)
  • Trial held in Avignon, public and heavily covered (BBC News Live)
4Impact & Aftermath

Six key facts capture the contours of a case that sent shockwaves through French society.

Label Value
Full Name Gisèle Pelicot
Year of Birth 1952 (age 71 in 2023)
Location of Crimes Mazan, France
Husband (Convicted) Dominique Pelicot
Verdict Date December 2024
Dominique Pelicot Sentence 20 years in prison (ABC News)

What is the latest verified information about Gisele Pelicot?

Gisele Pelicot’s 2026 memoir ‘A Hymn to Life’

In February 2026, Gisèle Pelicot published her memoir titled A Hymn to Life. The book recounts her experience of surviving years of drug-facilitated sexual abuse and her decision to confront her attackers in court. The memoir has garnered international attention and is seen as an extension of her public advocacy for survivors.

Current legal status and public appearances