[SPEAKING FRENCH] “I’m Lulu Garcia-Navarro. And today, I’m in Paris to speak with Gisèle Pelicot. This is her first ever interview with American media. She became internationally known in 2024, when 51 men accused of raping her went on trial. That includes the man who orchestrated it all, her then-husband of nearly 50 years, Dominique Pelicot. For almost a decade, Dominique had been drugging Gisèle, inviting men into their home to rape her while she was unconscious and often participating himself. He filmed these crimes, footage that eventually helped convict him and all the other accused men. The case ignited a firestorm within France and well beyond, galvanizing women across the world.” – [SINGING IN FRENCH]: “But no one would have known Gisèle Pelicot’s name had she not waived her right to be anonymous right before the trial. She writes about that choice and her own story in her new memoir, ‘A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides.’ Here’s my conversation with Gisèle Pelicot. I’d like to start your story by talking about the period of time before you knew what was being done to you. You had retired to the Southeast of France, in a town called Mazan. What kind of person were you then? I mean, how would you have described yourself?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “Let’s talk about the moment when everything changes for you. In 2020, Monsieur Pelicot tells you that he’s been caught filming up women’s skirts at the local supermarket. Were you shocked?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “It took two months from the time that he told you he’d been caught filming for the police to call you both into the station. When they sit you down, what do they tell you? And what do you see?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “For listeners who may not have followed the trial — and forgive me, I just want to give a few examples of the scale of the abuse that you learned about in the months that followed this police station visit. Is that OK? All right. Monsieur Pelicot was finding men online to rape you while you were heavily drugged. And then he would meticulously film those encounters. This was happening constantly — after your children came for dinner, while you were on vacation. There’s one moment that you describe in the book where a crown had come loose in your mouth. You write that it was because of, and I’m quoting from your book here, ‘The violence of penises being repeatedly forced into your mouth.’” “(VOICE BREAKING) [SPEAKING FRENCH] I’m — I’m sorry for what happened to you.” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] [SPEAKING FRENCH] “This all leads us up to this incredibly important moment, which is the trial itself. In France, victims of sexual violence have the right to have their identity protected. But you make this extraordinarily brave decision to waive your anonymity, allowing an open proceeding, where members of the press, members of the public can see what is going on inside the courtroom. Can you take me into that decision? How you realize that this is something that you wanted the world to see?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “I mean, what was it like to see all those men in the courtroom, day after day? Did your attitude towards them change over time?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “One of the most moving things at the trial were all the women that came to support you. Every day they were clapping, they were chanting. And you were getting all these letters. What were people saying to you? What were those interactions like?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “In the end, Monsieur Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum. All the others received varying sentences. Was justice served?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “Not all the men in the videos have been ID’d. Some of them are still out there. That must be hard for you, though.” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] “You know, Madame, can I call you Gisèle?” “Oui. [SPEAKING FRENCH] “Gisèle, I am curious, after everything that you’ve physically gone through, how do you feel about your own body?” – [SPEAKING FRENCH] [MUSIC PLAYING] [SIGHING] “Gisele Pelicot, merci beaucoup.” “Merci. [SPEAKING FRENCH] “No.” [MUSIC PLAYING]
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