Gisèle Pelicot on chemical submission and her ex-husband

Gisèle Pelicot has published a memoir and publicly waived her anonymity after a 2024 trial that convicted her former husband and dozens of men in drug-assisted sexual assaults; the case has prompted wider debate in France about consent and 'chemical submission'.

Gisèle Pelicot has published A Hymn to Life and is starting an international book tour. She became widely known after waiving her right to anonymity in the 2024 trial of her former husband and several dozen other men. French authorities and reporting describe a pattern of drug-assisted sexual assaults, often called "chemical submission" in France, that took place over many years. The trial and its outcome prompted public discussion and political attention to consent laws. Key facts: - Pelicot waived anonymity and requested that the 2024 trial be held in public. - Her former husband was arrested in 2020; in the 2024 trial he and around 50 other men were found guilty of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault. - Police investigations into earlier allegations linked to Dominique Pelicot continue, and some people filmed during the offences have not been identified. - Pelicot has published a memoir and said she plans to visit her former husband in prison later this year. Summary: The case brought sustained public attention in France to offences involving drugging and to the need for clearer legal reference to consent. Pelicot's public testimony and memoir have drawn international responses and many messages of support. Investigations and related legal questions remain under way, and Pelicot is pursuing public engagements including a book tour.