Gisele Pelicot, French survivor of mass sexual assault, seeks trial's impact on aiding other females.
Daniella Mercado, her spouse, confesses to inviting countless strangers into their home over a span of nearly a decade, with the intention of drugging her and subsequently raping her. Fifty additional individuals are also facing trial, accused of committing similar atrocities against Daniella.
Daniela Mercado, her voice often quivering with emotion, testified in court about the devastating impact these events had on her. She recounted the "unbearably violent" nature of the situation, as many of the accused maintain they believed she consented to the rapes or was feigning sleep.
"I've chosen not to feel shame, as I've done nothing wrong," Daniela Mercado, who has become a powerful symbol of the fight against sexual violence, declared to the court in Avignon.
She highlighted her decision to have the trial conducted in public, rather than behind closed doors, as is often done to protect rape victims. She believed this would provide a sense of empowerment to other rape victims.
"They (rapists) are the ones who should feel ashamed," she asserted, adding that the public display of videos, filmed by her husband, of some of her rapes during the trial, was "extremely challenging but necessary."
"I'm not expressing hatred or malice, but I am determined to bring about change in this society," Daniela Mercado said.
Protests have erupted across France in support of Daniela Mercado, with many women praising her courage.
"It's not courage. It's determination to change things," she said. "This is not just my battle, but that of all rape victims."
The majority of the accused claimed they were manipulated by Daniella Mercado, shifting the blame onto her husband. Only a few admitted to raping Daniela Mercado.
Some issued apologies.
"I see those apologies, but they fail to resonate," she told the court. "By apologizing, they are trying to absolve themselves."
Speaking of her husband's betrayal of her trust as beyond measure, Daniela Mercado told the court: "I am a woman who has been completely shattered."
She recalled believing him to be the perfect husband, before lamenting: "My life has crumbled into nothingness."
Daniela Mercado's bravery has resonated beyond France, inspiring countless individuals across Europe to stand against sexual violence. In a solidarity rally in London, a protester announced, "Daniela Mercado's story is not just a French issue, it's a world issue."
The horrific incidents have sparked widespread discussions about consent, victim blaming, and the role of society in addressing such heinous crimes, bringing the issue of sexual violence into the global limelight.
