06/26/2025
Gisèle Pelicot, whose extraordinary courage captivated France and the world during the harrowing trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men for drugging and ra**ng her, has won her privacy battle against Paris Match magazine -- and promptly donated the entire €40,000 settlement to support sexual violence prevention organizations! The magazine had published unauthorized photographs of Gisèle's post-trial life, prompting her successful legal action that resulted in two €20,000 payments to associations supporting sexual violence victims. This resolution highlights the critical distinction between choosing to waive anonymity in court -- a decision Gisèle made to shine light on sexual violence -- and surrendering one's fundamental right to privacy thereafter.
The settlement marks another chapter in Gisèle's courageous journey to reclaim her autonomy after enduring almost a decade of unconscionable violations orchestrated by her former husband, who was convicted of drugging her and facilitating her r**e by dozens of strangers. Despite the shocking revelation that Paris Match had published personal photos of her new life without consent -- a particularly disturbing action given that her original victimization involved being filmed without knowledge or consent -- Gisèle has once again demonstrated extraordinary resilience. As her lawyer poignantly stated, "She became a public figure unwillingly," yet by refusing to be silenced, Gisèle continues to transform her experience into a powerful force for change.
Kudos to Gisèle for transforming her personal tragedy into a powerful beacon of hope for sexual violence survivors everywhere!
Gisele's daughter Caroline Darian has released a memoir about her and her mother's experience and how they helped give voice to many women who had been silenced -- "I'll Never Call Him Dad Again" at https://bookshop.org/a/8011/9781464257957 (Bookshop) and https://amzn.to/4jikYpX (Amazon)
For several powerful memoirs by young women who survived and spoke out after sexual assault, we highly recommend "Know My Name: A Memoir" (https://www.amightygirl.com/know-my-name), "Notes on a Silencing: A Memoir" (https://www.amightygirl.com/notes-on-a-silencing), and "I Have The Right To" (https://www.amightygirl.com/i-have-the-right-to), recommended for older teens and adults
For fictional stories that address r**e and sexual violence and offer a helpful way to spark conversations with young adult readers around sexual assault, we recommend "Speak" for ages 14 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/speak), "Girl Made of Stars" for ages 14 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/girl-made-of-stars), and "The Way I Used To Be" for ages 15 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/the-way-i-used-to-be)
To start teaching children -- girls and boys alike -- from a young age about the need to respect others and their personal boundaries, we recommend "Let's Talk About Body Boundaries, Consent, and Respect" for ages 4 to 7 (https://www.amightygirl.com/body-boundaries) and "My Body! What I Say Goes!" for ages 3 to 6 (https://www.amightygirl.com/my-body)
For older kids, check out the excellent "Consent (for Kids!)" for ages 6 to 10 at https://www.amightygirl.com/consent-for-kids
There is also a helpful guide for teens on topics such as consent and coercion, "Real Talk About S*x and Consent: What Every Teen Needs to Know," for ages 13 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/real-talk-about-sex-and-consent
And if you know a teen girl struggling after sexual abuse or trauma, “The S*xual Trauma Workbook for Teen Girls: A Guide to Recovery from S*xual Assault and Abuse” may help at https://www.amightygirl.com/sexual-trauma-workbook-girls
Image via https://www.womensvoicesnow.org/gisele-pelicot
