Gisele Pelicot

[Pretty Boy]

What a brilliant, brave woman. All over the news being commended for her bravery and rightly so.

One of the striking things is how many other women are almost instantaneously choosing to waive their anonymity and are speaking out publicly to tell their story, a bit of a snowball effect.

The scary thing about the trial is that of the 51 men convicted the vast majority were from a 30 mile radius of her home. 51 (known) rapists in such a small area is pretty damning and there were far more men involved who authorities were unable to identify.

There has been something of a disturbing regression around rape, particularly online, in recent years. If there can ever be a positive to be taken from a case like this it is hopefully that as a society we can reflect on that and start to challenge it.

[AltheHibby]

What a brilliant, brave woman. All over the news being commended for her bravery and rightly so.

One of the striking things is how many other women are almost instantaneously choosing to waive their anonymity and are speaking out publicly to tell their story, a bit of a snowball effect.

The scary thing about the trial is that of the 51 men convicted the vast majority were from a 30 mile radius of her home. 51 (known) rapists in such a small area is pretty damning and there were far more men involved who authorities were unable to identify.

There has been something of a disturbing regression around rape, particularly online, in recent years. If there can ever be a positive to be taken from a case like this it is hopefully that as a society we can reflect on that and start to challenge it.

Well said. She is an amazing woman and deserves our respect.

[JimBHibees]

What a brilliant, brave woman. All over the news being commended for her bravery and rightly so.

One of the striking things is how many other women are almost instantaneously choosing to waive their anonymity and are speaking out publicly to tell their story, a bit of a snowball effect.

The scary thing about the trial is that of the 51 men convicted the vast majority were from a 30 mile radius of her home. 51 (known) rapists in such a small area is pretty damning and there were far more men involved who authorities were unable to identify.

There has been something of a disturbing regression around rape, particularly online, in recent years. If there can ever be a positive to be taken from a case like this it is hopefully that as a society we can reflect on that and start to challenge it.

What an incredible and deeply disturbing story and as you say the levels of depravity within what looked like a small rural area was off the scale. Struggling to understand why anyone would do this. Well done on the person who initially confronted her weirdo husband in the shop without that none of this was likely to be known. Absolute heroine she is incredibly brave. Must be so hard for her kids also.

[Hibrandenburg]

She is an absolute heroine and hopefully her actions will encourage millions of women to share their stories and show these men that they are not untouchable and show women that they are not alone.


Men can be utterly depraved and this will be far from an isolated incident, still it's difficult to understand what would drive someone to be part of this. I'm not sure if the Internet is entirely to blame, but it will certainly have played a role in them being able to find each other and collaborate.

[Pretty Boy]

She is an absolute heroine and hopefully her actions will encourage millions of women to share their stories and show these men that they are not untouchable and show women that they are not alone.


Men can be utterly depraved and this will be far from an isolated incident, still it's difficult to understand what would drive someone to be part of this. I'm not sure if the Internet is entirely to blame, but it will certainly have played a role in them being able to find each other and collaborate.

I think the issue with the internet is two fold.

Firstly it allows depraved individuals to contact each other. Who knew there would be a chat room specifically dedicated to abusing your partner without their knowledge? But this case has proven there is. Even when people are in close proximity to each other seeking out like minded individuals who want to drug and rape women is probably fairly tricky. The relative anonymity of the internet means that people who do want to do such things can find each other far more easily and the subject isn't taboo among them in the way it would be if you approached someone in a bar or proposed it to a friend. The common interest is already established by your presence in such an online environment. Add to that you have people like the Tate losers spouting out and out misogyny, dehumanising and belittling women, openly boasting about their exploits in coercive and abusive sex and in some instances even admitting to raping women and rather than being total pariahs they are held up by some as 'real men' or men who are 'reclaiming masculinity'. It often starts out fairly tame (if still controversial); suggestions that society has worsened since traditional gender roles shifted but it almost inevitably leads to a place where the narrative changes to paint women as a weaker and inferior sex there to serve men.

Secondly discussion on the internet often lacks nuance. Things are black and white and when discussing highly emotive topics like rape that is problematic because there are often huge grey areas. It's particularly true on social media platforms on which the ability to construct a lengthy reply is restricted. I've lost count of the number of times I've read men (and in some instances women as well) react to a not guilty verdict in a rape case by stating that the complainant should be hauled before a court or made to pay in other ways. There have of course been cases in which women have lied about rape, one high profile one that attracted a lengthy prison sentence not so long ago. However there often seems no acknowledgment that rape is a notoriously difficult crime to prove. It's very nature means there is often no direct evidence (the Pelicot case is an anomaly in that regard). It relies on circumstantial evidence which is often hard to corroborate. I used to try and argue the point that it is entirely possible a woman believes she has been raped when she makes an accusation but the weight of evidence in court can't prove that beyond reasonable doubt. It's not a case of devious or malicious lies. There is no point in trying to argue such though because it's that grey area and some people don't want to think too much, it's black or white. I remember after the Ched Evans case reading a post on Facebook that suggested the woman in question should be named and then taken behind the Kop at Brammall Lane where the 'boys could have a line up and teach her a lesson'. WTF? It's a dangerous and toxic culture in which a woman can only be a victim or a lying harlot with no in between.

Obviously rape stretches back long before the dawn of the internet but I do think it's helped foster a culture in which it's both easier to access if you are so inclined and easier to trivialise or reduce to a ludicrously simplistic level which perhaps reduces the perception of the severity of it and the long lasting impact it can have.

[Lendo]

I was absolutely horrified reading through the BBC article last night naming each of the men convicted and their background. Seeing a list of each of those charged really drives home how horrific it is and how brave she has been to come forward.

[Bostonhibby]

In terms of the beasts involved in the assaults here I don't think I can add much to what has been put so well by the posters above. Won't put into print what I'd like the beasts to suffer.

The lady is simply the bravest of the brave and I hope she can find peace and quality of life after this horror show.

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[Mon Dieu4]

I was absolutely horrified reading through the BBC article last night naming each of the men convicted and their background. Seeing a list of each of those charged really drives home how horrific it is and how brave she has been to come forward.

That's what got me, the fact you had to keep scrolling and scrolling and the list just kept going

[lapsedhibee]

I hope she can find peace and quality of life after this horror show.


The rest of her life may not be all tranquillity, but she'll likely go down in history with Parks and Pankhurst.

[Bostonhibby]

The rest of her life may not be all tranquillity, but she'll likely go down in history with Parks and Pankhurst.Indeed.

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[Hibrandenburg]

I think the issue with the internet is two fold.

Firstly it allows depraved individuals to contact each other. Who knew there would be a chat room specifically dedicated to abusing your partner without their knowledge? But this case has proven there is. Even when people are in close proximity to each other seeking out like minded individuals who want to drug and rape women is probably fairly tricky. The relative anonymity of the internet means that people who do want to do such things can find each other far more easily and the subject isn't taboo among them in the way it would be if you approached someone in a bar or proposed it to a friend. The common interest is already established by your presence in such an online environment. Add to that you have people like the Tate losers spouting out and out misogyny, dehumanising and belittling women, openly boasting about their exploits in coercive and abusive sex and in some instances even admitting to raping women and rather than being total pariahs they are held up by some as 'real men' or men who are 'reclaiming masculinity'. It often starts out fairly tame (if still controversial); suggestions that society has worsened since traditional gender roles shifted but it almost inevitably leads to a place where the narrative changes to paint women as a weaker and inferior sex there to serve men.

Secondly discussion on the internet often lacks nuance. Things are black and white and when discussing highly emotive topics like rape that is problematic because there are often huge grey areas. It's particularly true on social media platforms on which the ability to construct a lengthy reply is restricted. I've lost count of the number of times I've read men (and in some instances women as well) react to a not guilty verdict in a rape case by stating that the complainant should be hauled before a court or made to pay in other ways. There have of course been cases in which women have lied about rape, one high profile one that attracted a lengthy prison sentence not so long ago. However there often seems no acknowledgment that rape is a notoriously difficult crime to prove. It's very nature means there is often no direct evidence (the Pelicot case is an anomaly in that regard). It relies on circumstantial evidence which is often hard to corroborate. I used to try and argue the point that it is entirely possible a woman believes she has been raped when she makes an accusation but the weight of evidence in court can't prove that beyond reasonable doubt. It's not a case of devious or malicious lies. There is no point in trying to argue such though because it's that grey area and some people don't want to think too much, it's black or white. I remember after the Ched Evans case reading a post on Facebook that suggested the woman in question should be named and then taken behind the Kop at Brammall Lane where the 'boys could have a line up and teach her a lesson'. WTF? It's a dangerous and toxic culture in which a woman can only be a victim or a lying harlot with no in between.

Obviously rape stretches back long before the dawn of the internet but I do think it's helped foster a culture in which it's both easier to access if you are so inclined and easier to trivialise or reduce to a ludicrously simplistic level which perhaps reduces the perception of the severity of it and the long lasting impact it can have.

Top post.

As you do regularly, you've managed to put a lot of my thoughts into words.

[Hibrandenburg]

The rest of her life may not be all tranquillity, but she'll likely go down in history with Parks and Pankhurst.

Let's hope so, but again it's men that need to change and that's something we're not good at. It wasn't that long ago on here, that someone suggested that men showing support for women was somehow creepy, that's what we're up against. Women deserve better from us.

[Itsnoteasy]

The rest of her life may not be all tranquillity, but she'll likely go down in history with Parks and Pankhurst.

It will certainly be a lot better than her previous traumas and suffering.

[wookie70]

Incredibly brave and hopefully her actions will bring about more convictions and empower women. The sentences seem incredibly light for the crimes imo. This seems about as deprived as it gets and it is planned and over a long period of time.

[Keith_M]

The scary thing about the trial is that of the 51 men convicted....


Might sound a bit extreme to some, but I'd be happy if none of those *********s were ever released from prison.


I can't get my head round how people could do something like that

[Hibrandenburg]

Might sound a bit extreme to some, but I'd be happy if none of those *********s were ever released from prison.


I can't get my head round how people could do something like that

I can't get my head around why anyone would WANT to do something like that.

[Keith_M]

I can't get my head around why anyone would WANT to do something like that.



:agree:


Very sick people.

[Itsnoteasy]

I watched a TV interview. It was the daughter of one of the men who raped her. The daughter couldn't believe her father went to jail & the length of sentence he received 🙄

[Bostonhibby]

Might sound a bit extreme to some, but I'd be happy if none of those *********s were ever released from prison.


I can't get my head round how people could do something like thatI'm with you, I'd like to think they might at least do their time in the Marseille jail which isnt that pleasant. Unsegregated would be even better

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