I’ve been reporting on violence against women for over a decade. Meaning, I know how utterly grim it is out there, how we’re repeatedly let down by the systems that are meant to protect us. Which is why, when one of Gisèle Pelicot’s rapists had his jail sentence extended (rather than shortened, which is what he appealed for) this week, I saw it as a very small step in the right direction. Something that we can cling to during turbulent times when almost every other story and statistic points to the world getting worse.
It is deeply disappointing that she must be subjected to further pain and legal proceedings, but this latest verdict has at least inspired some hope. Hope that the conversation around sexual assault, consent and misogyny is getting through to some. That all the tireless campaigning around preventing and tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) by activists and women’s charities is making a difference – even when set against the backdrop of concerning data showing that 1 in 5 police-recorded crimes now relate to VAWG.
A year ago, Gisèle Pelicot boldly waived her anonymity during her high-profile rape trial stating that "shame must change sides" but, while she should have been left to heal in private, Pelicot has been pulled back to court by one of the men who abused her.
Her story made global news, when we learned, in horror, that her husband had been repeatedly drugging his wife without her knowledge, inviting men into their home in the quaint Provence village of Mazan, and encouraging them to rape her (whilst he recorded it). The incidents spanned years, leaving Pelicot concerned she had a severe health problem as she often felt unexpectedly fatigued, disorientated and suffered from multiple physical issues she could not find a reason for.
In the autumn of 2024, her husband stood trial along with 50 other men, the majority of whom denied any wrongdoing, but ultimately a judge ruled that Pelicot's now-ex would be sentenced to 20 years in prison. The other offenders, who included a DJ, builder and journalist, all received sentences between three and 15 years for their part in committing sexual violence, with guilty verdicts ranging from sexual assault to aggravated rape.
Of the 51 men involved, just one, Husamettin Dogan, 44, appeared again in court to try and convince a jury that his nine-year sentence ought to be overturned, in spite of video evidence affirming his guilt. It is phenomenally cruel, given it involves dragging Madame Pelicot, who is trying to rebuild her life, back into a courtroom setting.
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However, this latest verdict, delivered on 9 October 2025, shows the legal system working exactly as it should: Dogan's sentence was increased by a year, as a result of his appeal efforts. While putting forward Pelicot’s case, Dominique Sié, the lead state prosecutor, chastised Dogan when imploring the judge to consider a lengthier sentence, saying, "You refuse to admit it's not just ‘a woman’, it's an entire sordid social system that you are endorsing. There needs to be an evolution for you, and for society, from rape culture to a culture of consent.
"We must change rape culture to a culture of consent."
So how do we do that? In the current “epidemic” of sexual violence, listening to survivor’s voices has never been more important, says Gemma Sherrington, CEO of Refuge (the UK's largest specialist domestic abuse charity), when discussing the outcome with Cosmopolitan UK.
“The recent ruling in Gisèle Pelicot’s case serves as a powerful reminder that perpetrators must be held fully accountable for their actions. To see a prosecutor recognise that VAWG is a systemic issue highlights that justice must not be the exception – it must be the standard.”
However, in reality Pelicot’s outcome is not common. In fact, the majority of rape cases will not make it to court and just 5% result in a conviction in England and Wales. Pelicot also had a staggering body of recorded evidence to present, which not many survivors will have.
“At Refuge, we have seen the criminal justice system continually fail to acknowledge the cultural forces that uphold male violence,” Sherrington continues. “From inadequate police responses and reports of misogyny within the force to court backlogs and re-traumatising trials that trivialise survivors’ experiences, many of the women we support have been severely let down by the very institutions meant to protect them.”
I’ve certainly seen this in my reporting: issues span from a rise in the number of survivors being sued by their abusers for daring to speak out, the legal system being weaponised against the innocent, to the lack of justice for many of those deepfaked into porn without their consent.
These stories have shown me the reality so many women face each day, when trying to hold perpetrators to account. It’s perhaps why I found Sié’s comments so affirming, clinging onto them as a ray of sunshine within all the darkness. “[His comments are] encouraging, and what we would expect to hear in cases of sexual violence” says Rebecca Hitchen, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), but she echoes that they “are not the norm. Nor do they reflect the reality of what the majority of rape survivors experience in the courtroom.
“Throughout the justice process, rape survivors routinely face attacks on their credibility which are laden with victim-blaming and myths, which is a significant driver in the low charging and conviction rates we see.”
During this latest trial, Pelicot bravely spoke again of how it should not be the role of a victim to feel shame, but that of the perpetrator.
“The first time around, this man never [recognised] that he had raped me. But I thought that over the course of a year he had gained some introspection,” she told the court, before turning to Dogan and adding, “You don't understand that this was rape. When will you admit that it's a crime? I am ashamed for you.”
Along with this newest additional ‘victory’ (it feels wrong to label it as such, given Pelicot should never have been abused in the first place) of an extended sentence, the case has also forced a reset on French law surrounding rape and sexual assault. The National Assembly and Senate have called for the legal definition of rape to explicitly include the need for consent moving forward, with a bill cementing this change expected to pass over the next few months.
Here in the UK we are seeing some positive reforms to the legal system too; Scotland recently announced it will end the controversial 'not proven' verdict which was used disproportionately in rape cases and offered survivors a distinct lack of closure. The Netflix drama Adolescence also sparked a nationwide conversation about how the manosphere feeds into violence against women and girls, too – encouraging all genders to speak up. Progress is minimal, but we have to cling to it where we can, to use it as fuel to keep going.
Farah Nazeer, CEO of Women’s Aid, tells Cosmopolitan UK that Pelicot’s trial and her extraordinary bravery is changing how we talk about violence against women and girls not only in France, but worldwide. Something Women's Aid has long been fighting to have put front and centre. “Seeing the gravity and responsibility with which the court case is being handled and discussed, in media and social media, as well as in the courtroom, will play an invaluable role in shifting the discourse around VAWG and domestic abuse, as well as encouraging and challenging conversations around consent and healthy relationships,” Nazeer explains.
“But to eradicate VAWG, not only must women be respected and believed, but conversations must also be had around what healthy, consensual relationships look like. Pelicot’s fight for justice is a watershed moment and one that we hope will change the narrative forever.”
As we await the government’s much-anticipated strategy to halve VAWG within a decade of Labour taking office, these conversations must continue – and shouldn’t be down to survivors like Pelicot to take the lead on it. But these (far too rare) examples of justice actually being served are a vital source of strength for the movement. It is worth taking the time to recognise them when they happen.
If you've been impacted by any of the issues in this story, please consider reaching out to Women's Aid UK, Rape Crisis or Refuge for support.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
