The sexual assault that rocked the world. A courageous woman’s rallying call for ‘shame to change sides’. For the very first time, Gis\u00c3\u00a8le Pelicot tells her story.<\/p>\n
‘An emblem of resilience for women everywhere’ <\/b>VOGUE<\/i><\/p>\n
‘The bravest woman in the world’ <\/b>DAILY MIRROR<\/i><\/p>\n
A BEST BOOK OF 2026 FOR THE OBSERVER<\/i>, TELEGRAPH<\/i>, GUARDIAN<\/i>, FINANCIAL TIMES<\/i>, NEW YORK TIMES<\/i>, DAILY MIRROR<\/i>, IRISH TIMES<\/i>, GQ MAGAZINE<\/i>, LIT HUB<\/i>, BBC<\/i> AND MORE<\/b><\/p>\n
One November day, Gis\u00c3\u00a8le Pelicot was called to a local police station and life as she knew it ended. Her husband of fifty years had been caught by a supermarket guard filming up women’s skirts. But on his computer was shattering evidence: for nearly a decade, he had been secretly drugging and raping her and inviting dozens of strangers into their home to abuse her.<\/p>\n
Four years later, he and fifty other men were put on trial and Gis\u00c3\u00a8le’s courage in waiving her right to anonymity made global headlines. ‘Shame must change sides,’ she declared, giving voice and hope to millions. Her words became a rallying cry and her decision marked a turning point in public feeling about sexual violence.<\/p>\n
For the first time, and with unwavering honesty and grace, she describes a difficult childhood, first love, her career and motherhood. It is a life in determined search of happiness, both before and after her devastating discovery. She is an ordinary person who faces extraordinary catastrophe, whose example changes the world.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, Gis\u00c3\u00a8le Pelicot emerges with a renewed passion and reverence for living, and for love. A Hymn to Life<\/i> is an unforgettable testament and promise: that victims have no reason to feel ashamed; that even after unimaginable betrayal we can go on; and that colour will always return to life.<\/p>\n
‘This is quite something – a really brave, honest and heart-rending memoir’ <\/b>SARAH JESSICA PARKER<\/p>\n
‘A page-turning memoir that will move you to live more’ <\/b>GINA MARTIN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 2024, Gis\u00c3\u00a8le Pelicot inspired and moved millions of people with her astonishing courage and dignity as she chose to waive her right to anonymity in her legal fight against her husband and the 50 men accused of her sexual assault. Gis\u00c3\u00a8le Pelicot’s call for shame to change sides in cases of sexual abuse, and the power of the messages she has sent out to the world, have generated an extraordinary public response and moved both women and men all over the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[435],"product_tag":[373,259,5795,28847],"class_list":{"0":"post-112428","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","5":"product_cat-biography-hb","6":"product_tag-feminism-feminist-theory","7":"product_tag-memoirs","8":"product_tag-sexual-abuse-harassment","9":"product_tag-true-stories-of-survival-of-abuse-injustice","10":"pa_book_author-pelicot-gisale","11":"pa_cover-hardback","12":"pa_dewey-362-88092-edition23","13":"pa_imprint-the-bodley-head","14":"pa_language-english","15":"pa_pages-8341","16":"pa_publisher-the-bodley-head","17":"pa_readership-general-trade-code-k","19":"first","20":"instock","21":"taxable","22":"shipping-taxable","23":"purchasable","24":"product-type-simple"},"yoast_head":"\n