Displaying items by tag: call for maximum sentence

The landmark trial in Avignon, involving the systematic drugging and rape of Gisèle Pelicot by 49 men orchestrated by her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot, has gripped the nation. The prosecution has sought a twenty-year sentence for Pelicot, who admitted to facilitating the assaults over nearly a decade, and 10-18 years for most co-defendants. The case has sparked national debates on consent, male violence, and systemic legal shortcomings. Prosecutors have highlighted Pelicot’s bravery in waiving her anonymity and allowing graphic evidence to be shown, confronting societal shame surrounding sexual violence. Feminist activists have rallied in support, condemning the accused and demanding justice. Defence lawyers, however, argue that many defendants were misled by Pelicot’s claims of his wife's consent. The trial has renewed calls for legal reforms, and Michel Barnier’s government has pledged new measures to combat violence against women. One commentator said: ‘This trial has affected every one of us. What have we done wrong as a society to produce men who are capable of such inhumane behaviour?’