Gisèle Pelicot condemns the crime of rape and says French society must change

“I saw people who denied rape marching in front of the court,” he said. “I want to say to these men: when did Miss Pelicot give you the green light when you entered that bedroom?”

“I heard, ‘I was manipulated,’ I heard, ‘I drank a glass of water, I was drugged.’ So when did they not realize it?”

Mrs Pelicot was also asked why she continued to use her ex-husband’s name while her own children used other names.

The room fell silent when he calmly replied that when he first went to court in Avignon, he said his children were ashamed of the name, but his grandchildren were still called Pelicot.

“I want them to be proud of their grandmothers today,” she said.

“My name is now known all over the world. They should not be ashamed to bear this name. Today we will commemorate Gisèle Pelicot.”

Shortly before taking the stand, Philippe L, the last of the 50 defendants, said he was “surprised” by Dominique Pelicot receiving him at her home and insisting that he infiltrate Gisèle Pelicot.

He also denies rape, claiming that he put his conscience aside and “thought with my penis instead of my brain.”

The atmosphere in the courtroom heated up as Ms Pelicot was questioned by defense lawyer Nadia El-Bouroumi, who claimed she had used “harsh words” against her husband but not her other defendants.

“As I looked at you, I wondered—I’m sorry to say this—if we would ever see you cry again,” El-Bouroumi asked at one point.

The attorney’s combative and sometimes aggressive tone left the public and media in the courtroom gasping, with many shaking their heads in disbelief.