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Thank You, Gisèle ✊ #TheirShameNotOurs
#ThankYouGisele #MeToo 🫶 #GiselePelicot has shifted the direction of shame ✊ She’s the brave courageous woman who told the world « La honte doit changer de camp | Shame must change sides » 🫶 #TheirShameNotOurs
We’re ending this year with a historical verdict in the mass rape trial, as French justice has decided to hold accountable a man who thought he could get away with a decade of sexual abuses. Dominique Pelicot, who drugged his ex-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, then handed her over to dozens of strangers for their pleasure, has been sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. "Dazed", Dominique isn't ruling out an appeal, according to his lawyer. Don’t worry though, he’ll have plenty of time to reflect—two-thirds of his sentence is without parole. Fifty other men were also sentenced. Every single one of the 51 defendants was found guilty—not a single acquittal! From a few years behind bars to up to 15, they’ll now face the consequences of their horrific actions.
✊ Let’s be clear: this post is not about that despicable individual. This post is about Gisèle Pelicot, a woman who has already endured more than anyone ever should. She should have been allowed to heal, to rest, to live a life free from the weight of what she suffered. Instead, Gisèle showed the world an incredible courage and resilience. She didn’t just survive her nightmare—she made sure it wasn’t forgotten. Despite every obstacle, she shared her story and made sure the world saw it. She turned her pain into a force that shook the world, proving that women will no longer be silenced. If justice exists in this case, it’s because of women like her. Gisèle, you’ve shown us all what it means to rise, to fight, and to never let anyone steal your voice again. We wish you the best for what comes next, because too often, the victims are forgotten once the verdict is given. But the pain, the scars, the consequences—those stay.
At Manushya Foundation, we stand with survivors like Gisèle and work tirelessly to shift the narrative in Southeast Asia, where survivors are too often silenced, blamed, and shamed, while rapists walk free. We are inspired by Gisele’s bravery and are leveraging her as a global icon to challenge rape culture and the deep-rooted stigmas that protect perpetrators in Thailand, Laos, and across the region. Gisele’s fight shows us the power of speaking out and holding abusers accountable, no matter how high the barriers seem. Her courage motivates us to amplify the voices of survivors, demand justice, and end sexual violence everywhere. Together, we are ensuring that shame stays where it belongs—with the perpetrators.
#WeAreManushyan ♾️ Equal Human Beings
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