French women are protesting in the thousands to support Gisèle Pelicot, whose husband is on trial for inviting more than 50 men to rape her.

They line up in front of a courthouse in southeastern France, from morning to evening, and have gathered in the thousands in cities across the country. They hold signs reading, “one rape every six minutes,” “not all men but always a man,” and “giving in is not consenting.”

They chant: “Rapist we see you, victim we believe you.”

Women across France are rallying in support of Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old reluctant icon whose husband is on trial in the city of Avignon for systematically drugging her and inviting dozens of men, 50 of whom are now his co-defendants, into their home to rape her over nearly a decade.

The shocking case has sparked what many women in France call a long-overdue reckoning over “rape culture” and systemic sexism in the way the judicial system handles sexual violence.

  • where_am_i@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    77·
    30 days ago

    And so, what’s the course of action? To give all men some sterilization treatment?

    How does this help with anything?

    And, I promise you, the real numbers are probably scarily equal, just like with domestic abuse. Because men are definitely taught to never come forward with those.

    But even if the true ratio was 1:50, what’s the solution? Let’s write the law that when it’s a man, he gets a double prison sentence. Or maybe the police shouldn’t believe men who say they were assaulted, but vise-versa barely check, cuz for sure it’s true?

    Criminal statistics should in no way enforce the course of justice or legislation. They could only maybe influence where money is allocated in prevention campaigns. At best.

    • TSG_Asmodeus (he, him)@lemmy.worldEnglish
      92·
      29 days ago

      And so, what’s the course of action? To give all men some sterilization treatment?

      Who the hell said that?

      The case has put into the spotlight a growing problem with rape in France. The number of sexual assault victims in France increased by 33% in 2021 and nearly doubled from 2017, according to a government report. Women made up 89% of rape victims, while 96% of sexual violence perpetrators were men.

      But out of almost 35,000 rapes recorded that year, just over 10% were prosecuted, and fewer than 5% resulted in a conviction. And the vast majority of rape or attempted rape victims − nine out of ten − never even file a complaint, the report found.

      The plan is to make it so the system actually helps the victims. That’s the idea. These protests bring light to the issue.

      And, I promise you, the real numbers are probably scarily equal, just like with domestic abuse. Because men are definitely taught to never come forward with those.

      Cool guess, stats say you’re wrong.

      But even if the true ratio was 1:50, what’s the solution?

      See above.

      Seriously this is fucking embarrassing, you’re creating constant strawman arguments without any basis of anything reported.