Massive sex abuse in France: The Pelicot case shows system failure

Massive sex abuse in France: The Pelicot case shows system failure

It is the Throwing out of French society and a profound reflection on sexual violence and triggered consent: the pelicot-mass rape case .

a social upheaval

Many refer to this case as a socio-cultural earthquake, a rethink in relation to the systematic problem with violence against women in France. The focus of the process is 51 men, all of whom lived within a radius of 30 miles. Dominique Pelicot led this group by inserting his wife Gisèle at the time with drugs and inviting strangers to abuse and rape it.

a space of violence and misogynia

In this narrow geographical area there was an entire world full of violence and misogyny. On Thursday, hundreds of people crowded into an emotionally charged courtroom in Avignon, many stood except for the hall of the court to pursue the fate of the accused, whose deeds had not only changed the life of Gisèle and their family, but also the whole country.

convictions and problems of the punitive dimensions

of the 51 accused men were convicted of rape. Two were convicted of sexual assault, while four more were convicted of possessing child pornography. These men were referred to as "Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde" or "Mr. Jedermann"-no professional criminals. The age range ranges from 26 to 74 years, and the accused work in professions such as care, military, journalism and in the prison system.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against you, including hundreds of stressful videos and thousands of text messages that opened their machinations, only around a dozen of men fault. Many of them said that Dominique's approval - not from Gisèle - would have been sufficient to justify their crimes.

a change in society

The horrors of the crimes and the idea that "Mr. Jedermann" behind have initiated a national discussion about the normalization of sexual assault. Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum penalty for his offense. The other men received prison terms between three and 15 years. Some, however, are already on foot.

Many voices criticize the punishments as too mild and rain to take into account the horrors of the deeds sufficiently. Despite the prison terms, the women from Mazan - the southern French village in which the crimes took place - fear that the deeds could repeat each other tomorrow.

openness and the way to change

"What has really changed? The mentality has not changed, and the laws are the same. That is why we don't feel safe," said a resident of Mazan, Nedeljka Macan.

Gisèle hoped that by not doing her anonymity - and thus opening the process for the public - she could contribute to changing the rape culture, it was painful as it was to see the stressful evidence of your abuse. "It was a decision to make it public. And she did it in the service of other women," Sarah McGrath from Women for Women France told CNN.

a new era of consciousness

This service, courage and contradiction have transformed into a feminist heroine who is determined to "change shame". "France often has the reputation of being really progressive in terms of women's rights," said McGrath. "This is also shown by the fact that the right to abortion has been included in the constitution, which is a significant progress. However, we are lagging behind our European neighbors in terms of sexist and sexual violence."

Data proven that surviving sexual violence in France rarely hears. Only 10 % of the rape victims show the crime in the judiciary. And only 1 to 4 % of these ads end in a conviction, says McGrath.

A call to change

Gisèle Pelicot has now inspired many victims to express themselves and to stand up for changes. The last three months have stimulated intensive self -reflection in France and initiated what consent actually means. The process has forced people to address the culture of the rape and to think about how to change them.

Although the process will mark a chapter in French history, activists emphasize that this is not the end of a painful chapter; Rather, it is the beginning of a new era in which approval is taught in schools and included in the penal code. Women's rights activists ride on the wave of Gisèles call to action - and the associated hope.

When she left the courthouse on Thursday, she said that the process had shown her that a "future in which women and men can live in harmony and mutual respect" can actually be reached. It is up to France to use this moment and make it a reality.

Report by CNNS KARA FOX.