Gisele PelicotThe woman whose husband used drugs for 10 years so that dozens of men could rape her while she was unconscious sent a message to other victims of sexual violence around the world on Monday, saying: “You are not alone.”
In a brief statement upon her arrival at the Avignon hearing where her now ex-husband and 50 other men are on trial for raping her, Gisèle Pelicot thanked the signs of support that it has received since the beginning of the process and in particular the demonstrations organized in France this Saturday.
“Thanks to all of you, I have the strength to fight this fight to the end. This fight that I dedicate to all the people, women and men victims of sexual violence in the world. To all those victims, I want to say today, look around you, you are not alone” he said.
Trial suspended
These remarks were made a few minutes before the start of a hearing at which the main accused, Dominique Pelicot, was not present because, as announced by his lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, a stones in the gallbladder and has a kidney infection.
He the trial was suspendedor that a medical team inform the court of the actual state of health of the accused. Roger Arata, President The Vaucluse criminal court wants to know if Dominique Pelicot will be able to attend the trial in the coming days.
A fundamental question for the decision that will have to be taken on its continuity or on a possible postponement, for a few days or for a much longer period that would entail a new programming of the agenda of the dozens of people involved.
