Gisèle Pelicot speaks after 51 men jailed for more than 400 years

Transcript

00:00I'm here to say I'm very emotional.

00:05Please, if you could respect my emotional state as much as possible, thank you.

00:11It's with a lot of emotion that I'm here to make a statement.

00:18This case was a very difficult test for me,

00:22and I'm thinking first and foremost of my three children, David, Caroline and Florian.

00:27I'm also thinking about my grandchildren because they are the future,

00:32and for them I wanted to really put this struggle forward.

00:40Aurore and Céline as well.

00:43I'm thinking about all the other families affected by this case

00:49and the non-recognized victims.

00:52In these stories that are often in the shadows,

00:55you must know you share my struggle.

00:58I'd like to express my gratitude, my deepest gratitude,

01:02to all the individuals who have supported me throughout this.

01:07With the witness statements and the testimonials,

01:13this really gave me strength to come back day after day for this long trial.

01:18I'd like to thank the Association for Support of Victims

01:23who have supported me throughout,

01:26and all the journalists who have followed my case since its beginnings.

01:31I'd like to thank you and recognize the faithful and respectful treatment of the case

01:39that you have daily given.

01:44My lawyers, I thank you.

01:49Thanks for supporting me throughout this long journey.

01:55I wanted, when I started on the 2nd of September,

02:01to ensure that society could actually see what was happening,

02:07and I never have regretted this decision.

02:10I have now faith in our capacity to collectively take hold of a future

02:17in which everybody, women and men, can live together in harmony,

02:22in respect and mutual understanding.