Gisèle Pélicot, the French woman at the center of a landmark case involving years of sexual abuse and “chemical submission,” is preparing to share her full story with the release of her memoir, Et la joie de vivre (And the Joy of Living), on February 17th. The book promises a deeply personal account of the harrowing experiences that came to light during the 2024 Avignon trial,which ignited a global conversation about consent and marital rape. Pélicot’s narrative, co-written with journalist Judith Perrignon, is expected to expand on the details that captivated international audiences and spurred critical examination of france’s justice system.
Gisèle Pélicot is sharing her story “in her own words” with the upcoming release of her memoir on February 17th. The book delves into the harrowing experiences of abuse she endured, the landmark Avignon trial, and the challenges of rebuilding a life after intense media scrutiny.
Announced several months ago, Gisèle Pélicot’s Et la joie de vivre (And the Joy of Living) will be published by Flammarion. The release comes a year after the extraordinary trial held in Avignon in the fall of 2024, which catapulted the 72-year-old woman into the spotlight as a leading figure in France’s fight against sexual violence. The book is being released with a large print run and will be simultaneously available in over 20 languages, signaling its potential global impact.
What Does the Book Reveal?
In this deeply personal work, Gisèle Pélicot speaks for the first time in her own voice. Written with journalist Judith Perrignon, the book opens with the early days of the Mazan rape trial and recounts the months of testimony. It details the author’s experience – what she endured for years while unknowingly being drugged by her husband, Dominique Pélicot, who then delivered her, unconscious, to men he’d found online.
Pélicot describes the shock, pain, and exhaustion, but also the steps she took toward healing: learning to inhabit her body again, confronting her reflection, and finding reasons to keep living. She reflects on the intense media attention surrounding the trial, the outpouring of support, and how the experience fundamentally changed her perception of herself and the world.
Pélicot’s account builds on the stance she took in court – refusing a closed-door hearing and making public details of the sexual violence she suffered. This decision transformed her trial into a global media event, bringing the issue of “chemical submission” to the forefront of discussions about consent, collective responsibility, and the justice system’s treatment of victims. The case sparked international conversations about marital rape and the complexities of proving non-consensual acts.
What Did Her Daughter Write Before Her?
Prior to her mother’s book release, it was Caroline Darian, Pélicot’s daughter, who first shared her story. In 2022, she published Et j’ai cessé de t’appeler papa (And I Stopped Calling You Dad), an autobiographical account of discovering the horrors unfolding within her family and the subsequent collapse of those relationships.
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In March of last year, she also released Pour que l’on se souvienne (So That We Remember), in which she shares her perspective on the trial and continues her advocacy against chemical submission and for improved support for victims.
