'My hero' Worldwide solidarity for Pelicot's courage

She has been hailed as a feminist hero across France, commended for her courage at rallies across the country and applauded by supporters each time she has entered or left the courtroom in the southern city of Avignon.

- Ashifa Kassam

But the tributes to Gisèle Pelicot - the woman at the centre of a horrifying mass rape trial that has shaken France to its core - also come from far beyond the country's borders. Since the trial began in September, solidarity has been expressed around the world, hinting at the role she has played in galvanising a global conversation around sexual violence.

From Australia to Austria, many have closely tracked the news emerging from the courtroom, where Pelicot's ex-husband, Dominique, is accused of drugging her for nearly a decade and recruiting men to rape her while she was unconscious. Fifty other men are also on trial for alleged rape.

Dedicating her battle to all those who have survived sexual violence, Pelicot opted to allow the trial to be public and pushed for the court to exhibit the videos, recorded by her then husband, that show men engaging in intercourse with her while she was unconscious.

In Australia, Pelicot's bravery resonated with the Older Women's Network. For years, the organisation had been working to shine a spotlight on the sexual assault of older women; now they watched in awe as Pelicot assured survivors they were not alone.