According to data from the French interior ministry, men are responsible for 96 per cent of sexual assault incidents.
In 2022, women accounted for 82 per cent of victims in date-rape cases, across all types of assault. Nearly two-thirds of recorded cases were of sexual violence.
For lawyer and activist Yelena Mandengue, rape remains normalised within what she describes as the system of France’s patriarchal culture. This is despite the number of convictions for the crime being on the rise since 2017.
She said it is about power and “men wanting to dominate their victim”.
“It can happen to anyone, and any man can rape – so that’s why we have to rethink our system about that,” she added.
Gisele Pelicot’s case also set off demonstrations in support of sexual assault victims, with both women and men participating.
Comedian and content creator Antoine Goretti, who says he grew up in a household with strong female figures, has called on young men to call out sexual aggression when they see it.
“If we don’t face the problem, it will never be fixed. Men need to understand that every man is, was or will be the aggressor,” said Goretti.
“Men can work it out by asking themselves: ‘What can I do to improve things?’”
