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.
We are not attempting to “erase male victims.” I understand this is an extremely triggering topic as a victim myself. We are pointing out the difference in experiences that clearly exist. I am sorry you were harmed, both in the past and through my comment, but I ask that you take time to take care of yourself and think about the disparities between those numbers and experiences. No one should be victimized as you were, and certainly no one should go through what the women did in this trial. Can you understand the difference?
“I’m sorry, BUT…”
You’re not sorry. Fuck right off.
You too.