Gisèle Pelicot on confronting shame and finding hope
The Global Story
BBC
3.8 • 669 Ratings
🗓️ 17 February 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
***This episode contains distressing details of rape and sexual assault***
Gisèle Pelicot earned international recognition after waiving her anonymity at her mass-rape trial in 2024, in which her former husband, Dominique, was sentenced to 20 years in jail for drugging her and inviting dozens of other men to their home in the south of France to rape her while she was unconscious.
In court, Gisèle Pelicot bravely faced her abusers, and in public, she stood stoically in defence of sexual assault survivors, saying that, “shame must change sides”.
The BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire talks through her recent interview with Gisèle Pelicot, as her memoir, A Hymn to Life, is published.
If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, you could speak to a health professional, or an organisation that offers support. Details of help available in many countries can be found at befrienders.org. For a list of organisations in the UK that can provide support, go to bbc.co.uk/actionline.
Producer: Hannah Moore
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
(Photo: Gisèle Pelicot in Paris, France. Credit: Dmitry Kostyukov/BBC Newsnight)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. |
| 0:06.0 | Before we start today's episode, I want to let you know that we'll be discussing sexual abuse and rape. |
| 0:14.4 | It's September 2024, the French journalists have gathered in Avignon in southeastern France, |
| 0:21.0 | and they're there to cover what they've been told will be a deeply harrowing rape case. |
| 0:26.3 | But they're not expecting to be able to report much on it at all, |
| 0:29.7 | because the trial will take place behind closed doors. |
| 0:33.0 | And that's the case for almost all rape trials in France. |
| 0:36.5 | But then one of the lawyers in the case, who represents a 71-year-old woman, |
| 0:41.4 | announces that his client, the victim, has waived her right to anonymity. |
| 0:46.7 | Her name is Giselle Pelico. |
| 0:51.0 | Arriving at court to a chorus of support, Giselle Pelico, |
| 0:57.0 | a woman subjected to around 200 rapes, proud to show her face. |
| 1:05.0 | Over the course of almost 10 years, her husband Dominique drugged her and raped her, |
| 1:10.0 | and he invited at least 50 men into their house to |
| 1:14.0 | rape her as well. Supporters have been here every day of this grueling trial to cheer on their new |
| 1:20.3 | feminist hero. She's become an icon for survivors of sexual violence for her insistence that, quote, shame must change sides. |
| 1:30.9 | A year after the trial, Giselle has written a memoir, and she's been speaking to the BBC about |
| 1:36.2 | how she's rebuilt her life. |
| 1:39.0 | From the BBC, I'm Tristan Redmond in Paris. |
| 1:43.0 | And today on the global story, |
| 1:45.0 | Giselle Pelico on confronting shame and finding hope. |
| 1:56.3 | Hello, I'm Victoria Derbyshire, |
... |
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