Politics

Martina Devlin: French mass-rape trial shows medieval attitudes to women have far from died out

Excuse me while I check the date. Just as I thought – it’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages. But you’d nearly imagine the quaint French market town of Mazan, complete with a chateau that once belonged to the notorious Marquis de Sade, occupies a time warp. Not because of those medieval buildings and gateways, but because of the attitudes of some of the men living in the area.

Gisele Pelicot at court in Avignon courthouse this week. Photo: Christophe Simon/Getty Excuse me while I check the date. Just as I thought – it’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.

But you’d nearly imagine the quaint French market town of Mazan, complete with a chateau that once belonged to the notorious Marquis de Sade, occupies a time warp. Not because of those medieval buildings and gateways, but because of the attitudes of some of the men living in the area. A trial involving a husband and wife from Mazan, with 51 other defendants from the locality accused of raping her, has horrified not just France, but the world.

For almost a decade, Gisele Pelicot (72) was drugged and raped while unconscious by her husband, who also solicited scores of strangers he recruited online to do likewise. Join the Irish Independent WhatsApp channel Stay up to date with all the latest news.