Dominique Pelicot: No Appeal on 20-Year Sentence for Orchestrating Massive Abuse

Dominique Pelicot has chosen not to appeal his 20-year sentence for drugging and raping his wife Gisèle Pelicot, while 17 of 49 co-defendants intend to appeal. The trial, which lasted over 15 weeks, concluded with widespread media attention and calls for reform in addressing rape culture in France. Amid a national reckoning and the potential for a new trial, Gisèle Pelicot has emerged as an advocate for victims of sexual violence, shifting the stigma away from survivors. The appeals court process is set to occur next year, with legal experts expressing mixed reactions to the potential for harsher penalties.