Gisèle Pelicot Breaks Silence: What Really Happened with Her Daughter Finally Revealed
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault and rape which some readers may find distressing. Ever wonder how one woman’s brave choice to ditch anonymity could send shockwaves around the globe and tip the scales in an epic legal battle? Gisèle Pelicot, a 73-year-old French survivor, did just that ahead of the release of her memoir, A Hymn To Life. In an exclusive chat with BBC Newsnight, she opens up about the grim 2024 trial where her ex-husband Dominque Pelicot and 50 others stood accused—and got nailed with sentences—including his 20-year jail term for his heinous crimes against her. It’s a raw, painful story of courage, betrayal, and the complex fallout within her own family, as her daughter Caroline grapples with her own scars and a fractured relationship. If you think courtroom dramas are all about the verdict, think again—this one’s a heart-wrenching journey through pain, resilience, and the rocky road to healing. Ready to dive deeper? LEARN MORE.
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault and rape which some readers may find distressing.
Ahead of the publication of her memoir A Hymn To Life, Gisèle Pelicot has an extensive interview with BBC Newsnight airing tonight (15 February).
A UK exclusive, the French woman spoke to Victoria Derbyshire about the infamous 2024 trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men.
Dominique Pelicot is now serving a 20-year term in jail for drugging, raping and inviting the others to rape Gisèle.
The 73-year-old inspiringly waived her right to anonymity during the trial and has ‘never regretted’ the decision to do so. Her doing this meant the men on trial couldn’t benefit from anonymity and the case drew global attention.
Gisèle’s daughter Caroline was at her side during this, but she has since said she stopped speaking to her mum, feeling like a ‘forgotten victim’.
Caroline was at Gisèle’s side during the trial. (Arnold Jerocki/Getty Images)
Photos of the daughter asleep in her underwear were found on Dominique’s laptop as Gisèle says: “The incestuous look he cast on his daughter, I found utterly unbearable.”
Caroline is convinced the man drugged and raped her too but he has not been prosecuted for this due to a lack of additional evidence.
In her book I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again, she claims that from the beginning, her mum couldn’t believe he would have preyed on his own child and apparently said: “Your father is incapable of such a thing.”
Caroline told The Telegraph that the trial tested her relationship with Gisèle and they were no longer on speaking terms.
“My mother let go of my hand in that courtroom,” she claimed. “She abandoned me.”
She added that she can ‘never forgive’ her mother for not helping with her claims and that while she respects Gisèle has started a ‘new life’: “What I don’t respect is that she didn’t fulfil her contract with me. You stay a mother until you die, whatever the trials and tribulations – but she didn’t.”
The interview airs tonight. (BBC)
Speaking to Newsnight, Gisèle said that the pair are now repairing their relationship.
“Each of us needed time to find our own path,” she said. “Today, we’re trying to bring each other peace, and I hope we’re on the right road to healing.”
She explained that it took her daughter time as she’s ‘filled with hatred and anger’ but these are feelings the mum apparently doesn’t possess.
“I have neither hatred, nor anger,” Gisèle added. “I felt betrayed and outraged by Mr Pelicot, but that’s just how I am.”
Gisèle Pelicot: The Newsnight Interview is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer and airs on BBC Two at 10pm tonight.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline on 0808 500 222, available 24/7. If you are currently in danger or need urgent medical attention, you should call 999.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
RIVER OF GOODS Farmhouse LED Ceiling Fan - 52" L x 52" W - Metal Caged Fixture - Rich Barnwood/Light Driftwood Fan Blades
(as of February 16, 2026 16:08 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
1MORE Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones - Silver - Wired - Adult - In Ear - 18 grams - 90 days limited warranty
(as of February 16, 2026 16:08 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
White Leaf Provisions Organic Purees / Baby Food Pouches - Fruits, Veggies & Grains, Toddler snack, Regeneratively Farmed, No Added Sugar, Non-GMO, BPA-Free Pouches 3.17 oz (Pack of 24, Mango + Carrot + Banana + Pear)
$69.54 (as of February 16, 2026 16:08 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
RIVER OF GOODS Mid-Century Modern Transitional LED Bronze Chrome Ceiling Fan - 52" L x 52" W - Rich Barnwood/Light Driftwood Fan Blades - Metallic Ceiling Fan with Light and Fabric Shade
(as of February 16, 2026 16:08 GMT +00:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Post Comment