Why supporters of Gisèle Pelicot sang a feminist anthem in front of the courthouse

WARNING: This article may concern those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has.

Supporters of Gisèle Pelicot stood in solidarity outside the courthouse in Avignon, France, every day during her ex-husband’s high-profile rape trial.

And on Thursday, after the court sentenced Dominique Pelicot, 72, to a maximum of 20 years in prison, they came together to sing.

Dominique Pélicot was found guilty of all charges against himincluding for aggravated rape, for drugging and repeatedly raping his then-wife for nearly a decade, while inviting dozens of other men to come to their home and rape her while she was unconscious.

Fifty other men, who came from all walks of lifewere also convicted of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault, with sentences ranging from three to 15 years. Among them, 49 participated in the abuse committed by Gisèle Pelicot, while one was convicted of drugging and raping his own wife with the help of Dominique Pelicot.

Gisèle Pelicot, 72, is considered a feminist icon in France since she waived his right to anonymity in order to highlight not only her own story, but also that of other survivors of sexual violence.

Muriel Trichet, member of the feminist collective Nous Tous 84, believes that it was important that women in France came forward for Gisèle Pelicot, just as she did for them.

Trichet was outside court Thursday, as she has been throughout the trial. She and her fellow activists formed a choir and sang The feminist responseadaptation of the French feminist anthem from the 1970s, Women’s Anthem. Here is part of his conversation with As it happens host Nil Köksal.

Muriel, what did these moments of singing in this choir mean to you?

It’s a very strange feeling, actually, when you sing because it’s a feminist song. It gives us power. We feel very safe when we are together.

We don’t have (many places) in our lives where we could be truly safe.

Safety is very important, feeling something light and like we don’t have to worry about anything – just singing and being together.

How did you feel today being there?

I was very anxious, so I was very stressed. I didn’t sleep very well last night and didn’t eat anything.

It’s hard to say why, but I was afraid of the sentence or the verdict. I don’t know, I wasn’t sure what I was going to find in court in the morning.

There were a lot of people, so I was just looking for all my friends and not being alone and calming my anxiety… When I met all my colleagues… I felt a lot better.

Does this verdict satisfy you? Was justice served today?

It was very disappointing…. I don’t know what I expected, but… deep down, I expected something more.

Twenty years, for me, is not enough to ask what he did to Gisèle.

The other 50 men were also convicted, but many received shorter sentences than prosecutors requested. Some left the courthouse free because of time served. How did that seem to you?

This seems unfair. So unfair. Once again, we have the impression that rapping women means nothing.

You mentioned feeling safe in this choir today. Do these verdicts and the attention this case has received reassure you?

No not at all.

Experiencing an ordeal like this is worse than anything. It’s a double punishment after the rape…. It’s unbearable, in fact.

Maybe women will think twice before filing a police report.

Don’t you think that will encourage them to come forward?

I’m not sure, really… because we all see what Gisèle Pelicot endured during this trial. It was very painful.

This is another way to make her a victim again. And it’s very hard to hear, and it’s very hard to live with.

Do you think that, even a little bit, there has been a cultural shift in the understanding of rape, sexual assault and what survivors experience?

We hope. Because this trial and Gisèle’s determination opened up a reflection on domination, on rape culture. And maybe more people are talking about it.

Maybe it’s a good thing now that everyone is aware of rape culture…and maybe it can change…the way we understand relationships between men and women.

And keep in mind that there is an oppression, there is a domination called patriarchy. And these kinds of things may need to be deconstructed if we want a more egalitarian society.

Gisèle Pelicot, she expressed her support for survivors of sexual violence whose stories do not get as much attention as hers. And she said, “I want you to know that we share the same struggle.” What does Gisèle Pélicot mean today for the French, particularly for women?

It’s very important that she says this because…most victims are alone and don’t have many journalists at their trial.

That’s why we were… every day in court to show him our support. She therefore does the same for the other victims. And that’s what (we) call sisterhood.

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For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, support is available through crisis lines and local support services through Canadian Association to End Violence Database.

For anyone affected by family or domestic violence, support is available through local crisis lines and support services.

If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.