The Gisèle Pelicot case, which concluded in December 2024, revealed the need for advocacy against sexual violence and challenged Western illusions of gender inequality.
Between 2011 and 2020, Dominique Pelicot repeatedly drugged and raped his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, while she was unconscious. As the crime escalated, he invited dozens of men to rape and sexually assault his wife while she was comatose. The frequent drugging took a toll on Madame Pelicot, leading to memory and weight loss. Exploiting her confusion, Dominique gaslit Madame Pelicot into believing she was developing Alzheimer’s.
His crime was unexpectedly unraveled after being reported to the French police for taking upskirt photos of women at a supermarket. As the police investigated the supermarket report, they uncovered heaps of incriminating evidence: dozens of videos documenting the rape of Madame Pelicot.
The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of 50 men who were eventually found guilty due to the documentation of their crimes. In the trial that followed, the videos were played in court, leaving none of the defendants able to challenge Madame Pelicot’s testimony.
Madame Pelicot waived her right to anonymity for the trial, hoping to shed light and support for victims of similar crimes. Supporters traveled to the site of the trial to share their appreciation for her bravery by chanting, “From all the women in the world, we thank you.”
One individual coming forward can pave the way for other victims to also gain the courage to speak out. “While it can be scary coming forward, reporting sexual harassment can encourage more women in the area to get the encouragement they need to speak up about their own stories,” stated senior Ines Ruhara.
Madame Pelicot’s words, “The shame must change sides,” serve as a symbol of progress combating the stigma surrounding sexual violence. Pelicot’s bravery in the trial unmasked the need for education on consent and establishing laws and consequences for cases of sexual violence and gender-based discrimination.
Ruhara has seen women afraid to step forward as they believe that no action will be taken against the perpetrator of the crime. “A reason some women are afraid to speak up is due to the fear that the perpetrator might come back or no action will be taken by higher authorities,” expressed Ruhara. “One of my friends had deepfake images of her spread around by a fellow student and reported the incident but no action was taken by school authorities.”
Consent takes its roots in the youth. By educating younger generations about the importance of consent and respect, larger-scale crimes can be prevented. Even in countries where women’s rights have rapidly progressed, the need for education and accountability on consent is still relevant.
In the Western world, feminism is given little attention due to the progressive nature of the social culture. The movement is highly scrutinized as people believe that equality has been achieved between men and women.
In a legislative context, there is still progress to be made. “If you look at the history of the Equal Rights Amendment, it has never been passed. The ERA is still not designated in the U.S. Constitution, and it is not completely established that women are guaranteed equal rights,” stated APUSH teacher Erin Klage. “Granted, the Constitution does have the 14th amendment, but equal rights and equal protection are not the same thing.”
With cases like these where women are still advocating for protection against sexual violence, it is obvious that the movement is still needed to protect women from being victims of these crimes.
Additionally, the push for advocacy against sexual violence extends to the Western world in its casual use of sexual language. Students in the West tend to use “rape” as a verb to describe their grades in an academic setting, or they sexualize women in the media. Using words with sexual denotation essentially normalizes sexual violence.
The pervasive nature of sexual violence and gender-based discrimination is not only found in high-profile or adult settings. It can be seen in educational institutions as well.
At Pleasant Valley High School, it’s an uncomfortably common experience for female students to be harassed or bullied by their male peers or to be treated differently based on their gender.
Nearly four in ten girls have reported being made fun of at school for being a girl, comparable to the one in ten boys who reported being made fun of for their gender. Many students make negative remarks to women or enjoy joking about women.
While making a remark might not seem innocuous, these actions can lead other people to make bad decisions or partake in harmful behavior. “I have noticed guys sitting near me would make blatantly sexist jokes to each other and hide what they said from the teachers—they knew it was wrong, but they still acted this way when no one was listening,” expressed junior Maren Abernathy.
In the U.S. school system, men and women are held to different standards and are awarded for different reasons. While male students are often praised for effort, their female peers are rewarded for success or physical appearance rather than the content of their work. This happens despite women’s GPAs being consistently higher than those of their male counterparts.
The issue of gender inequity within the classroom is not simply an issue of sexist authoritative figures or teachers but an issue of unconscious biases.
Gender-related microaggressions can be subconsciously perpetrated, but at some point, they turn into ignorance of social issues. Many students at PV are not properly educated on the extent of sexism and don’t realize the real-world impacts it has.
Properly educating students on the history and legitimacy of sexism could ease many of the negative experiences women have in school. “Although I haven’t been a victim of sexual harassment, I have friends who were. Through their experiences, I learned how little this school does to protect the students from the incidents,” stated an anonymous PV student.
It is easy for people to turn a blind eye to the overarching problems of sexism when they don’t personally experience the effects it has on women in their day-to-day lives. “I hear boys at school making really inappropriate comments about their female students without consequences. It’s really disappointing because school is supposed to be a safe environment for everybody, but female students can’t even learn without being harassed,” another anonymous student revealed.
To combat this problem, schools must have classrooms in which each student can have a space where they are comfortable enough to express their thoughts and opinions.
It is also important for every student to know that their thoughts and opinions are valued.
In a more inviting school environment, students will be able to focus better and create more meaningful relationships with their peers, eventually carrying these skills into a worldly setting to foster a safe, accepting environment for all.
Gender-based discrimination and sexual violence continue to haunt women. These issues must be tackled from their roots to ensure a safer and equitable future for all.
