The Queen has written to rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot to praise her “extraordinary dignity and courage” following the horrific four-month rape trial that took place in Avignon, southern France, last year.
Her Majesty, a long-time campaigner against domestic violence, was “tremendously affected” and reached out privately to Gisèle following the case.
In December, Pelicot’s husband, Dominique, was jailed for 20 years for his shocking crimes.
He had secretly drugged his wife over 200 times and invited scores of men he met online to rape her over the span of a decade.
The Queen has written to rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot to praise her ‘extraordinary dignity and courage’
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Dominique filmed every act of the horrific abuse against his wife of 50 years.
Gisèle, 72, boldly waived her right to anonymity to face her husband in court and listened calmly as his shocking crimes against her were laid bare.
Her bravery in turning the tables on her tormentors has seen her hailed a feminist icon and one of the world’s most influential women.
Gisèle said: “I wanted all woman victims of rape not just when they have been drugged, rape exists at all levels I want those women to say: ‘Madame Pelicot did it, we can do it too.”
Gisèle Pelicot bravery in turning the tables on her tormentors has seen her hailed a feminist icon and one of the world’s most influential women
Getty
The Queen was as shocked by the unimaginable abuse as the rest of the world, a palace source revealed.
An aide told Newsweek: “She was tremendously affected by the Madame Pelicot case in France and that lady’s extraordinary dignity and courage as she put herself in the public eye.”
“The Queen wrote to Madame Pelicot privately. It was very much her instigation and determination to write to express support from the highest level.”
The Queen has for decades sought to use her platform to highlight such “heinous crimes”, working with survivors to help remove the shroud of shame and become a catalyst for change.
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Queen Camilla is patron of the SafeLives charity and has made many official and secret visits to women’s refuges
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Her Majesty is patron of the SafeLives charity and has made many official and secret visits to women’s refuges.
Last year, she backed calls for a domestic abuse campaign to be rolled out in schools nationwide.
The Queen recently vowed to keep fighting to end domestic abuse until she is “able to no more”.