They line up in front of a courthouse in southeastern France, from morning to evening, and have gathered in the thousands in cities across the country. They hold signs reading, “one rape every six minutes,” “not all men but always a man,” and “giving in is not consenting.”

They chant: “Rapist we see you, victim we believe you.”

Women across France are rallying in support of Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old reluctant icon whose husband is on trial in the city of Avignon for systematically drugging her and inviting dozens of men, 50 of whom are now his co-defendants, into their home to rape her over nearly a decade.

The shocking case has sparked what many women in France call a long-overdue reckoning over “rape culture” and systemic sexism in the way the judicial system handles sexual violence.

  • @IMNOTCRAZYINSTITUTION
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    163 hours ago

    hey as a guy who was assaulted, please stop saying all men are complicit. do you understand what you’re saying when you say that?

    • @buddascrayon
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      -143 hours ago

      You are basically validating the people who are trying to dismiss the assaults by men by using the “women do it too!” defense.

      I’m sorry for what happened to you and you deserve justice and support. But so do the literally millions upon millions of women who have been assaulted by men who are basically ignored or intimidated by our society into staying silent about their experience.

      • @IMNOTCRAZYINSTITUTION
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        152 hours ago

        incredibly ironic. how can you dismiss assault and say I’m the one dismissing it? jesus please get a grip and get off the fucking internet. why did I even try?

        • @buddascrayon
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          -102 hours ago

          If you actually read my comment you’ll notice I did not dismiss anything.

          • Rikudou_Sage
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            102 hours ago

            Just stop and go away, please. No one wants to read your bigotry around here, you’re not impressing anyone.

            • @buddascrayon
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              59 minutes ago

              I’m not here to impress anybody I’m here to annoy you with uncomfortable truths. And you calling me a bigot for the things I’ve written here is rich.