By Micah Jonah
February 17, 2026
Gisele Pelicot, the 73-year-old French woman whose husband, Dominique Pelicot, orchestrated the mass rape of her over several years, has released her memoir, A Hymn to Life, recounting the traumatic events and her journey to justice.
The book revisits the 2024 case in Mazan, southern France, in which Dominique Pelicot invited dozens of men to assault his unconscious wife. Fifty men, alongside Dominique, were ultimately convicted, making the trial one of the most notorious sexual violence cases in France. The case also led to reforms in French rape law.
Pelicot explains her decision to waive anonymity, saying she wanted the world to understand the severity of the crimes. She recounts the moment she was shown images of herself unconscious with strangers, learning that 53 men had assaulted her. She describes the difficult process of sharing the truth with her family, particularly her daughter Caroline, and the emotional toll of the trial.
Drawing strength from thousands of letters from women worldwide, Pelicot emphasizes that their support helped her endure the courtroom ordeal. She also details how she found love again, describing the experience as empowering: “I needed to love again. I wasn’t afraid, I still have faith in people. Once, that was my greatest weakness. Now it is my strength. My revenge.”
The memoir has become a symbol of resilience, has highlighted the importance of survivor advocacy in shaping legal reforms against sexual violence.
