France Mass Rape Trial: Pelicot Gets 20-Year Sentence
The Facts
A French court on Thursday sentenced Dominique Pelicot, 72, to 20 years in prison for drugging and orchestrating the rape of his now ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot over nearly a decade.
While Pelicot, who had already confessed to the crimes, was given the maximum prison sentence allowed under French law, his 50 co-defendants were all convicted — receiving jail terms ranging from three to 15 years — with two co-defendants having their prison terms suspended.
The Spin
Narrative A
Gisèle's case is a turning point in the fight against rape culture. We should all be saluting her courage in pushing for a public trial, which has raised public awareness of these crimes and shifted shame from victims to perpetrators. These convictions and sentences should lead to more robust rape laws and an overhaul of France's sexist social norms.
Narrative B
These prison sentences were far too lenient and a slap in the face to sexual assault survivors who often face unsurmountable challenges when seeking justice. The court missed an opportunity to deliver exemplary punishment that would set a stronger deterrent for society against sexual violence.
Narrative C
While it may be difficult to find nuance in such a case, some of Dominique's co-defendants may have been victims of his manipulation, believing they were participating in consensual acts. Some had no memory of the events and may have been drugged themselves. The defendant's identities should not have been public until they were found guilty.
Narrative D
Dominique Pelicot was a self-centered man who suffered sexual assault at age nine at the hands of a male nurse, which could have caused a split in his psyche and made voyeurism part of his psychosexual dynamic. France must look inward and confront the deeper systemic changes required to ensure that a child doesn't grow up to become a monster like him.
