I heard about this amazing woman and her memoir on a podcast that I listen to regularly. Some of the research that was done was taken from this book. This book is part memoir and part social commentary - it incorporates flashbacks to her time in the infamous "Pelicot" trial, which was horrifying, by all accounts. It also incorporates commentary on her interpersonal relationships with all of the people in her life - from her husband, to her children and her friends.
For nearly a decade Ms. Pelicot was regularly drugged by her husband such that she would become unconscious. While she was unconscious, her husband would assault her and then have at least 72 other men come over to sexually assault her while she was passed out. His crimes were only uncovered after he was arrested for "upskirting" women at the local shops and his computer revealed evidence of the crimes committed against Gisele. This memoir also chronicles her journey to healing, dealing with the trauma and, ultimately, holding him and the other offenders be held accountable. A big part of this was her decision to waive her right to privacy at the trial - in France, sexual assault victims have the right to a closed trial so that their privacy is protected but Ms. Pelicot decided to waive that.
I was so happy that I first heard about this story, in depth, through her memoir and in her own words. It was refreshingly candid and open and vulnerable. I highly respected her candidness and strength in coming forward. It was a remarkably well written and fast paced memoir that drew me in. I literally sped through it. The reduction in the complexity of her writing makes the book accessible and aids the narrative. I felt like I was having coffee with her as she was describing what happened to her.
This is a must read as it brings a tragically common form of sexual assault to the forefront.
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