Gatherings in support of Gisèle Pelicot are being held to say “thank you for your courage”, explains a feminist activist

Around thirty rallies are planned for Saturday, September 14 in support of Gisèle Pelicot. Fifty-one men, including her husband, are on trial in Avignon for raping her, unconscious, at the couple’s home. Amy Bah, from the NousToutes collective, which is organizing the rally in Lille, explains on France Inter that the goal of these marches is to say “Thank you” to Gisèle Pelicot, thank you for your courage, we admire you enormously”.

She thanks Gisèle Pelicot for making the trial public. “Thanks to you, it will encourage women to go and talk. We know that she does this for others, so that it doesn’t happen again, so that the shame changes sides.”says Amy Bah.

Come together “was a great need among all those who could observe the trial”explains Anna Toumazoff, feminist activist, who initiated these gatherings, on franceinfo. “As a feminist personality on social media, I received a lot of messages about this, comments”she explains.

“We could see that it was a subject that sparked a lot of conversation, including among people who were not necessarily used to feminist discussions.”observes Anna Toumazoff.
She greets Gisèle Pelicot “a figure of courage”and sees “an extremely important symbol” in the fact of having refused the closed session.