The Pelicot Rape Trial

Fifty-one rapists. One victim. An open trial. In 2024, Gisèle Pelicot's story dominated the global media: a woman whose husband of 50 years drugged her for a decade and invited men to their home to rape her, repeatedly. Gisèle's courage in the face of relentless adversarial scrutiny during the trial made her a cultural icon across the world. Critically, the men on trial are not monsters. They are ordinary men: good fathers, good husbands, good men. Why did they rape Gisèle Pelicot?

Twenty-three renowned European cartoonists, paired with experts, tell the story of the trial, interspersed by investigations into the social factors that shape our evolving understanding of gender-based and sexual violence. This is a meticulous recounting of the horrific events that led up to the 16-week trial, and a brutally honest examination of the banality of violence. It's also a tribute to the nerve and courage of Gisèle Pelicot, who stayed resolute throughout the judicial ordeal. Its creators call on everyone to join against gender-based and sexual violence: it's up to all of us.

Artists included in the book: Lucie Albrecht, Alfred, Nine Antico, Bobika, Patricia Bolaños, Sylvain Bordesoules, Anjuna Boutan, Coco, Tiffany Coope, Deloupy, Marie Dubois, Florence Dupré la Tour, Alix Garin, Hippolyte, Léa Hybre, Kokopello, Carole Lobel, Carole Maurel, Sole Otero, Claire Roquigny, Charlotte Rotman, Lili Sohn, Chloé Wary, Quentin Zuttion.