Gisèle Pelicot Honored as Knight of the Legion of Honour for Her Courage

Gisèle Pelicot, a beacon of resilience, has been awarded France’s highest honor for her courageous testimony in a landmark mass-rape trial.

Gisèle Pelicot, a courageous 72-year-old French woman, has been awarded the prestigious title of knight of the Legion of Honour, a recognition of her bravery in the face of adversity. Pelicot made headlines last year when she decided to publicly waive her anonymity during the highly publicized trial against her husband, Dominique Pelicot, who was convicted of drugging and gang-raping her. Spanning nearly a decade, the abuse involved more than 50 men who assaulted her while she was incapacitated.

Pelicot’s story of resilience and her commitment to speaking out for victims helped turn the tide of societal attitudes toward sexual abuse in France. French President Emmanuel Macron praised her as a trailblazer and commended the inspiration she brought to women facing similar traumas. “I want all women who have been raped to say: Madame Pelicot did it, I can too,” she stated, hoping to shift the stigma surrounding sexual violence from the victims to the perpetrators.

Her award comes as part of a broader recognition program in which 589 individuals were honored on the eve of France's Bastille Day. Pelicot consistently attended her trial, which ended with her husband receiving a 20-year prison sentence for aggravated rape. In light of her remarkable journey, Gisèle Pelicot’s memoir is set to be published next year, promising to further enlighten and empower those impacted by sexual violence.