France mass rape trial: Topless women protest against gender violence in Paris; police silently watch (VIDEO)

Thousands of women and men took to the streets of Paris, France, recently in a bold demonstration against the rising tide of gender-based violence in the nation.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Nov 26, 2024, 9:25 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 26, 2024, 9:25 PM IST

Thousands of women and men took to the streets of Paris, France, recently in a bold demonstration against the rising tide of gender-based violence in the nation. The protests, which featured topless women baring their chest in front of the iconic Louvre Pyramid, served as a stark and visceral plea for action against sexual violence and inequality.

The demonstrators, holding placards and chanting slogans, highlighted the urgent need to address sexual crimes and protect reproductive rights. Messages such as “Stop war on women” and “Freedom of life for women” were prominently displayed as the police silently watched the protest.

The recent case of Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged and raped by her ex-husband and multiple men, has ignited widespread outrage across France. This incident has become a rallying point for protesters who called for stricter measures to combat sexual violence.

“Unfortunately, the perpetrator of violence can be anyone: our brother, our father, our colleague. It can even be our boss,” said Mayle Noir, a representative of the feminist group Nous Toutes. She emphasized the hidden nature of such crimes, adding, “It is not written on anybody’s face that they are a rapist.”

In a heartening show of solidarity, men also reportedly participated in the protests, emphasizing that the fight against gender-based violence is a collective responsibility.

The demonstrations were reportedly not limited to Paris. Protests erupted in cities across France, with participants demanding stronger government action to curb sexual violence and promote gender equality.

The demonstrators urged the French government to prioritize the fight against gender-based violence and implement policies that promote equality.

Prosecutors demand 20-year jail term for Dominique Pelicot

On Monday, French prosecutors have called for Dominique Pelicot to receive the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for drugging and raping his wife, Gisele, and facilitating her abuse by at least 70 strangers over the course of a decade.

This demand coincides with the French government’s introduction of new measures aimed at combating violence against women, including heightened awareness about the use of drugs in sexual assaults.

The assistant state prosecutor Laure Chabaud said the sentence sought against Pelicot was “at the same time long but not long enough given the gravity of the facts that were committed and repeated”.

“His search for pleasure was reflected in a desire to subjugate his wife, to humiliate and even degrade through his actions and words the person he cherished most in the world,” Chabaud told the court in Avignon.

Dominique Pelicot has admitted to the charges against him, while most of the other accused have acknowledged abusing Gisele Pelicot but denied committing rape. They claimed they believed they were participating in a consensual fantasy arranged by the couple.

Lawyers for 33 of the accused have submitted a special plea, arguing that their clients acted under diminished responsibility, further complicating the legal proceedings.

Gisele Pelicot has emerged as an international feminist icon for her courageous decision to waive her anonymity, enabling the trial to be held in public and allowing videos, recorded by her husband, of her being raped and abused while unconscious to be shown in court. She has expressed hope that the trial will help challenge and change society’s deeply ingrained macho attitudes toward the sexual abuse of women.

Entering the courtroom to applause on Monday, as she has every day of the trial, Gisele described the experience as deeply moving, saying, “It’s very emotional.”

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