Gisele Pelicot

Gisele Pelicot is a 73-year-old French woman and survivor of severe abuse. She was repeatedly drugged, abused, and offered to strangers for rape by her former husband over a period of nearly ten years. Pelicot is newsworthy due to her advocacy for changing mindsets to combat sexual violence. She recently gave an interview to German public broadcaster ZDF, emphasizing the need for education, respect, and empathy to address the issue. Her case is also gaining renewed attention due to a similar case in Germany, where a Chinese student is on trial for drugging and raping his girlfriend, drawing parallels to Pelicot's experiences. This highlights the ongoing relevance of her story and the continued need for awareness and action against sexual violence, as emphasized by the UN rights chief who has decried mounting threats to women’s rights worldwide.