The fight continues
It’s been a long road to justice for the Pelicot family. Now, Caroline Darian—who believes she was also drugged and assaulted by her father, Dominique Pelicot—has launched a major public information push across France. The campaign, which went live on Monday across television, social media, and print, aims to empower people who suspect they have been drugged and sexually assaulted to come forward, even if they have no clear memory of the events.
Shifting the shame
Gisèle Pelicot, whose resilience during the trial of her husband and dozens of other men shocked the world, is the face of this effort. The core message is simple but vital: "Shame has to change sides." Statistics highlighted in the campaign clips note that in 75% of substance-facilitated sexual assault cases, the perpetrator is someone the victim knows, like a friend or relative.
Seeking support
The initiative directs people to the Centre of Excellence on Substance-Facilitated Assaults (CRAFS) in Paris. Experts there help potential victims figure out if evidence can still be recovered and guide them through the legal and medical process. Darian, who founded the association Mendorspas (Don’t Put Me to Sleep), notes that this issue was barely recognized as a public health crisis five years ago. Now, she’s pushing for a world where victims don't have to fear being ignored by the legal system or their own families.
Why it matters
For years, these types of crimes were often swept under the rug or went unreported because of memory gaps. Darian is proving that a lack of memory doesn't mean a lack of evidence, and by bringing this out of the shadows, she’s helping victims reclaim their own stories in a way that’s lowkey groundbreaking.
