Gisèle Pelicot receives France’s highest civilian honor for bravery

Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old French woman known for her courageous courtroom testimony, has been awarded France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honour. She was named to the Bastille Day honors list, announced ahead of the national holiday, joining 589 other recipients.

Pelicot earned international recognition last year after waiving her legal right to anonymity and publicly testifying against her husband, Dominique Pelicot, in a mass-rape case. In court, Dominique admitted to drugging his wife and arranging for around 50 men to rape her while she was unconscious over the span of nearly a decade. The trial concluded in December 2024 with Dominique Pelicot receiving the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for aggravated rape.

Throughout the trial, Gisèle Pelicot attended nearly every session, becoming a symbol of resilience and bravery. Speaking to reporters during the proceedings, she said, “I want all women who have been raped to say: Madame Pelicot did it, I can too.” She added that she hoped to “make shame swap sides,” shifting the stigma from victim to perpetrator.

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly praised Pelicot, calling her a trailblazer whose “dignity and courage moved and inspired France and the world.”

According to her lawyer, a memoir telling Pelicot’s story in her own words is currently in development and is expected to be published early next year.

The award underscores not only Pelicot’s personal bravery but also her lasting impact on the national conversation around sexual violence and victims' rights in France.