French mass rape survivor hailed as hero after jailing of ex-husband

She has become a symbol of female courage in the face of male sexual violence

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AVIGNON - Frenchwoman Gisele Pelicot, who survived a decade of sexual abuse by her husband and dozens of strangers, said she hoped her ordeal would help make the world a better place for "women and men alike" as her former spouse was jailed for 20 years.

Her public stand against her abusers was hailed by supporters outside the courtroom and by world leaders.

Dominique Pelicot, who confessed to the crimes, was found guilty by the court in southern city Avignon after a trial that lasted more than three months.

Details of the offences shocked France and the world, drawing fresh attention to male violence, and turning Ms Pelicot into a feminist hero.

Such extensive media coverage was made possible by her decision to waive her anonymity and opt for a public trial.

Dozens of other defendants - the men who visited the Pelicot family home to rape her as she lay unconscious after being drugged by her husband - were handed terms of between three and 15 years.

Women's rights groups and the three Pelicot children, according to a source, expressed disappointment, arguing that the sentences are too lenient.

But Ms Pelicot, 72, in her first comments after the judgment, said: "I respect the court and the decision of its verdict."

She added she "never regretted" opening the trial to the public and is now thinking of the "unrecognised victims whose stories often remain in the shadows".