Warning: This article contains discussion of rape, which some readers may find distressing.
Gisèle Pelicot’s daughter has shared the four words she would use to address her mother after their relationship fell apart.
At 72 years old, Gisèle became widely recognized last year when she courageously revealed her identity to ensure her abusive husband faced justice.
Dominique Pelicot stood trial for secretly drugging his wife over several years, subsequently raping her and allowing numerous men to assault her, all while filming these heinous acts.
Between 2011 and 2020, Dominique, also 72, permitted strangers to enter their home and violate Gisèle. Fifty men were convicted of rape, most of whom were from within a 30-mile radius of Mazan, a commune in southeastern France.
“Shame must change sides,” Gisèle declared during the trial of her husband of 50 years, emphasizing that the shame associated with sexual violence should belong to the perpetrator, not the victim.
Dominique Pelicot was found guilty of the crimes against his wife, attempted aggravated rape of another woman, and taking indecent images of his daughter, Caroline Darian, as well as his daughters-in-law.
He received a 20-year prison sentence.
Caroline has since revealed that she no longer communicates with her mother following the trial, which wrapped up in December 2024.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the 46-year-old expressed that she would only say four words to her mother if they met in public.
These words are: “‘Hello mum’ and ‘goodbye mum’.”
Explaining her feelings, she stated: “Because she’s made her choices. She’s got her new companion [an ex-Air France steward known only as Jean-Loup, whom she met through friends in 2023] and he was there during the trial.
“She’s started a new life, and I respect that. What I don’t respect is that she didn’t fulfil her contract with me. You stay a mother until you die, whatever the trials and tribulations – but she didn’t.”
Caroline alleges that Gisèle never believed her when she insisted that her father went beyond drugging her by also taking indecent photos, asserting that he raped her—claims Pelicot denies and has not been found guilty of.
She recounts her mother insisting that ‘your father is incapable of such a thing,’ a sentiment she explores further in her new book, “I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again.”
Recovered images from Pelicot’s hard drive revealed photos of Caroline, unconscious and wearing unfamiliar underwear, stored under the file name ‘My Daughter Naked’.
During the sentencing, Caroline addressed the judge, expressing how she felt like the ‘forgotten victim in this case’.
Regarding the rift with her mother, Caroline added: “But in that courtroom, she was supposed to help me. And that, I can never forgive her for. Never.”
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online at online.rainn.org.