Gisèle Pelicot describes shock of seeing herself like ‘a rag doll’ in memoir

The Guardian - World News Human InterestNews ReportEN 3 min read 100% complete by Angelique Chrisafis in ParisFebruary 11, 2026 at 03:25 PM

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Gisèle Pelicot plans to meet ex-husband in prison for answers on other allegations

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Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman who became a symbol of courage after being drugged and raped by dozens of men, including her husband, recounts her initial shock in her upcoming memoir, "A Hymn to Life." The memoir details how in November 2020, police informed Pelicot that her husband, Dominique, had been drugging her for nearly a decade and inviting men to rape her at their home in Mazan, France. Pelicot describes her disbelief upon seeing images of herself unconscious, comparing herself to a "rag doll." Dominique Pelicot was initially investigated for secretly filming women, which led to the discovery of his crimes against his wife. Ultimately, 51 men were found guilty of rape or sexual assault. Pelicot chose to make the trial public to avoid being isolated with her abusers and to expose their crimes.

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Human Interest

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Legal & Judicial

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Sensationalism

Factual

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Key Claims (5)

AI-Extracted

Pelicot's memoir, A Hymn to Life, will be published in 22 languages next week.

factual — null100% confidence

Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity in the trial.

factual — null100% confidence

51 men were found guilty of rape or sexual assault.

statistic — null100% confidence

Dominique Pelicot drugged and raped his wife, inviting strangers to rape her.

factual — null100% confidence

Gisèle Pelicot describes her shock at seeing images of her rapes, likening herself to a 'rag doll'.

quote — Gisèle Pelicot100% confidence

Claims are automatically extracted and should be independently verified. Attribution indicates the stated source of the claim.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Nîmes 35% Le Monde 40% Mazan 45% France ×260% Dominique Pelicot ×385% Gisèle Pelicot ×895%

Keywords

gisèle pelicot 100% rape trial 90% sexual assault 80% memoir 70% domestic abuse 70% dominique pelicot 60% drugging and rape 60% a hymn to life 50% france 40%