Gisèle Pelicot gave an interview to the program Fantástico and described the events that took place over a decade at the couple’s residence in Mazan in the south of Dominique Pelicot’s ex-husband mixed sedatives into her food to make her unconscious and recruited men for the acts while filming everything. Police identified the full scheme in November 2020 after his arrest for another reason and presented the evidence to her at the police station. Gisèle Pelicot decided to speak publicly to transfer the shame to those responsible and contribute to changes in society. Ela kept the surname Pelicot to protect her grandchildren and plans to visit her ex-husband in prison to seek straight answers. The trial took place in Tribunal of Avignon and resulted in the conviction of Dominique Pelicot to 20 years in prison which represents the maximum sentence for the crime of rape in The investigation also identified 80 identified attackers, 50 of whom were tried and convicted.
The French woman was married for 50 years to Dominique Pelicot and considered him an attentive companion until the facts were revealed.
The symptoms she presented, such as memory loss and slurred voice, were initially attributed to health problems and were taken to medical appointments accompanied by him.
Interview given to the program Fantástico
Gisèle Pelicot traveled to Paris to give the interview to Fantástico and shared details about rebuilding life after the convictions. Ela stated that today he feels free again and that he trusts the people around him more. The conversation took place just over a year after her ex-husband’s sentence and served to reinforce the message that victims do not need to bear the shame of crimes.
She also mentioned the launch of the memoir that will hit bookstores at Brasil in the next few days and which brings the complete trajectory from discovery to the present moment.
The discovery of abuses at the police station
Police summoned Gisèle Pelicot to the police station on November 2, 2020 in the area of Mazan. The police officer began the interrogation with questions about the couple’s routine and then showed photos of the abuse. Ela did not recognize the images immediately and had to put on glasses to confirm his own identity in the scenes.
The initial shock led to a moment of complete disconnection where she stopped processing the information presented. The revelation included the fact that Dominique Pelicot had initially been arrested for filming women in a supermarket which paved the way for the larger investigation.
The police station advised Gisèle Pelicot not to be alone after confronting the evidence and she contacted a friend for immediate support.
The scheme orchestrated by her ex-husband
Dominique Pelicot prepared Gisèle Pelicot’s food with sedatives to ensure that she remained unconscious during the acts. Ele invited men through online forums and received them at the couple’s home for the abuse recorded on video. The investigation recovered more than 20,000 images and videos organized in an organized manner on his equipment.
The identified attackers ranged in age from 22 to 70 and included local residents such as neighbors that Gisèle Pelicot met on a daily basis without suspecting anything. One of them was the father of four children and frequented the same local business where she normally greeted him.
The frequency of the episodes reached several times a week and caused persistent side effects that she attributed to other health causes. Dominique Pelicot attended medical appointments and minimized symptoms to avoid alerting the family.
The convictions in the court of Avignon
The trial began in September 2024 on Tribunal of Avignon and lasted three and a half months with public sessions by decision of Gisèle Pelicot. Todos the 50 attackers tried along with Dominique Pelicot received convictions for rape or aggravated sexual assault. The 20-year sentence imposed on Dominique Pelicot was the maximum provided for by French legislation for the crime.
Gisèle Pelicot attended all the hearings and faced questions from the defenses who tried to suggest complicity on her part. Ela manteve a postura de abrir mão do anonimato para que o caso servisse de exemplo e pressionasse por maior responsabilidade dos agressores na sociedade.
The defendants were identified through the recovered images and many lived close to the couple’s home, which made them easier to locate during the police investigation. The final sentence was handed down in December 2024 and confirmed the guilt of everyone involved in the process.
The impact on the family
Gisèle Pelicot had to communicate the facts to her three children and described this conversation as one of the most difficult moments she experienced as a mother. The daughter reacted with screams of disbelief while her sons showed shock and immediate concern about her condition. The children destroyed objects in the house to eliminate memories of their father and the family relationship went through a period of temporary distancing caused by collective resentment.
Ela briefly lost contact with some of them due to shared trauma but has been working on rebuilding ties since then. The grandchildren remain protected by the decision to keep the surname Pelicot and avoid unnecessary exposure to the case. Gisèle Pelicot considers her children to be the center of her life since the birth of her first when she was still young and is now seeking to restore the harmony lost over time and with professional support. The family faced double betrayal as the father acted against the mother and against the trust placed by everyone over decades of coexistence. She reports that the healing process involves accepting positive parts of the past marriage without denying the seriousness of the crimes discovered.
The decision to make the case public
Gisèle Pelicot chose to renounce her anonymity shortly after reflecting on the topic during a night on the beach. Ela wanted the trial to take place with open doors so that other victims could find similar strength and for society to follow the details. Her presence at the sessions generated daily support from women who filled the court and sent messages of gratitude for the gesture.
She faced humiliation from lawyers who questioned consent despite clear evidence of unconsciousness. The choice to publicize the case also served to highlight the need for men to take responsibility for acts of sexual violence without transferring blame to the victims. Gisèle Pelicot repeated that shame must change sides and that victims do not need to hide.
Reconstruction of current life
Gisèle Pelicot moved to the island of Ré in search of tranquility and found a new companion called Jean-Loup with whom she shares her current routine. Ela reports that life holds positive surprises even after difficult periods and that today he feels at peace with the choices made.
The Frenchwoman maintains contact with her family and focuses on completely recovering from the effects of the sedatives administered for years.
The recently released memoir
Gisèle The work written in partnership with a journalist brings reflections on motherhood and overcoming old family losses. The simultaneous release in several countries includes Brasil where the volume hits bookstores on February 24, 2026 by publisher Companhia of Letras.
She explains in the book that she does not recognize herself as a permanent victim and prefers to highlight the ability to trust in relationships again. The text also addresses physical damage such as memory loss and reproductive problems caused by the continuous administration of substances. Gisèle Pelicot dedicates pages to the healing process that involves accepting the past without letting it define her future. The publication serves as an instrument to reinforce the message that survivors can regain control of their own narrative.
Key facts of the case include:
- Dominique Pelicot received a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
- The investigation identified 80 attackers in total.
- 50 men were tried and convicted on Tribunal of Avignon.
- The abuse occurred between 2011 and 2020 at the couple’s residence.
- Gisèle Pelicot gave up her anonymity for public hearings.
Gisèle Pelicot plans to visit Dominique Pelicot in prison to directly question the motives for the acts committed. Ela seeks answers that can help in personally closing the cycle even if the explanations do not change what happened. The Frenchwoman states that she is moving forward with serenity and that she considers herself a happy woman in her current stage of life.
