French Assault Survivor Publishes Global Memoir to Inspire Other Victims

Gisèle Pelicot has published her memoir in 22 languages worldwide, sharing her story of surviving years of sexual assault orchestrated by her husband. The book aims to provide hope to other victims following a landmark trial that led to convictions of 51 men and sparked changes to French rape laws.

A French woman whose courage transformed her into an international symbol against sexual violence has published her memoir globally, hoping to inspire other survivors with her journey from victim to advocate.

Gisèle Pelicot’s book, titled “A Hymn to Life, Shame has to Change Sides,” became available Tuesday across 22 languages, chronicling her experience surviving nearly a decade of systematic assault.

“I wanted my story to help others,” Pelicot explained during a recent interview with France 5, a French television network, before her memoir’s worldwide launch.

The book represents Pelicot’s first extensive public commentary since a groundbreaking 2024 court case that made headlines internationally. Her decision to publicly identify herself during the proceedings, rather than remain anonymous, sparked global conversations about sexual violence and victim-blaming.

“Today I’m doing better, and this book allowed me to engage in self-reflection, to take stock of my life,” she explained. “I had to try to rebuild myself on this field of ruins. Today I am a woman standing strong.”

Pelicot emphasized that her memoir carries “a message of hope to all the women who are going through a very complicated period in their lives.”

Her case and public stance created ripple effects worldwide, earning recognition from prominent figures including Olympic champion Simone Biles, who has also spoken about surviving sexual abuse.

“Gisèle has demonstrated to the world that it’s not for victims of sexual abuse to feel shame — it’s the perpetrators,” Biles stated in remarks aired by the BBC. “By waiving her anonymity and refusing to feel shame, Gisèle paves the way for other victims to come forward.”

The criminal case concluded in December 2024 with convictions against Pelicot’s former husband, Dominique Pelicot, along with 50 additional defendants. The crimes occurred between 2011 and 2020, during which Dominique Pelicot secretly drugged his wife to render her unconscious before assaulting her and allowing other men to do the same.

Dominique Pelicot received a 20-year prison sentence, while co-defendants were given terms between three and 15 years. One defendant who appealed his conviction later had his sentence extended to 10 years by an appeals court.

The couple had been married for nearly five decades when Dominique Pelicot confessed to years of secretly adding sedatives to his wife’s food and beverages to facilitate the assaults.

The trial highlighted concerning connections between online pornography, internet chat groups, and misconceptions about sexual consent that can contribute to violence against women.

The case prompted legislative action in France, where lawmakers approved new rape legislation in October. The updated law characterizes rape and sexual assault as any sexual activity without consent, aligning France with neighboring European countries like Germany, Belgium, and Spain that have similar consent-focused statutes. Previously, French law required proving that rape involved “violence, coercion, threat or surprise” rather than simply lack of consent.