Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who became a symbol of courage after publicly testifying against her ex-husband and dozens of other men in a landmark mass rape trial, says she hopes sharing her story will help others.
In her first U.S. Broadcast interview, airing this Sunday on “CBS Sunday Morning,” Pelicot told correspondent Seth Doane that she “used to be a very discreet woman.” The interview coincides with the release of her memoir, “A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides,” published next week by Penguin Press. Pelicot waived her right to anonymity and demanded that court proceedings be open to the public during the four-month trial of her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot and 51 other men accused of raping her over nearly a decade at his invitation. All were found guilty, with Dominique Pelicot receiving a 20-year sentence.
Pelicot recounted to Doane the shock of discovering her then-husband had been drugging her and inviting others to assault her in their home. “I never imagined that I was living with a man who was drugging his wife in his own home. It was impossible,” she said. She had experienced unexplained health problems, and in retrospect, recognizes other warning signs. She recalls drinks tasting strange, sometimes undrinkable, “as if mint had been put in my glass,” and her husband preparing potatoes separately, though she never suspected he was lacing them with drugs.
“How can you imagine that your husband is drugging you? It’s unthinkable — impossible,” Pelicot stated. “In fact, I was manipulated for about ten years. Because he was looking me in the eyes every day even as knowing he was poisoning me. But I never saw that. I saw a kind, caring man.”
The case drew international attention after Pelicot opposed a closed hearing, a demand made by several defendants. An appeals court in France revisited the case of Husamettin Dogan, sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the drugging and rape, in October 2025. Dogan denies intending to rape Pelicot, claiming he was deceived by Dominique Pelicot. Prosecutors initially sought a 12-year sentence for Dogan, but the court imposed nine. Dominique Pelicot and 50 other men were convicted of sexually assaulting Pelicot between 2011 and 2020 while she was under the influence of drugs. Sentences for the other defendants ranged from three to 15 years imprisonment.
Pelicot was greeted with applause as she arrived at the courthouse for Dogan’s appeal last year, with supporters shouting words of encouragement. She is now speaking out in her memoir and in the interview with CBS News, believing her story “could be useful to others.”
