French Mass Rape Victim Gisele Pelicot’s Daughter Criticises Mother For Rejecting Her Abuse Claims: 'Silence Says...'

A new book by Caroline Darian has ignited controversy as she criticises her mother, Gisele Pelicot, a rape survivor, for refusing to acknowledge her claims of abuse. In So That We May Remember, Darian, 46, expresses deep anguish over her 72-year-old mother’s unwillingness to believe her, calling it a “point of no return” in their relationship.

Darian alleges that her father, Dominique Pelicot, was a serial rapist whose crimes extended beyond her mother. She claims that the authorities have failed to investigate several unsolved cases linked to him. Her mother’s reluctance to accept her accusations has left Darian feeling isolated and betrayed.

“It’s as though the ground opened up under my feet,” she writes. “Her silence says a lot. I thought we were a united and tight-knit clan … and I am hit by this implacable reality in the face: my mother does not want to believe me or to hear me. I have spent four years trying to be there for my mother, cherishing the bond that counted so much for me. I feel alone facing a wall of desolation and no one seems to understand.”

Evidence And Denial

The allegations revolve around two photographs taken by Dominique Pelicot, depicting Darian asleep in underwear that she claims was not her own. She believes she was drugged and abused, similar to what her mother allegedly endured. “These two photographs knocked me over … I am sure (there) are others,” Darian writes. “I know that I was sedated and abused by my father, but I cannot prove it.”

During his trial, Dominique Pelicot denied all accusations of sexual assault and rape against his daughter. When questioned in court, Gisele Pelicot refused to confirm or deny whether she supported Darian’s claims, choosing silence over a direct response.

Profound Sense Of Betrayal

Darian’s book delves into the emotional turmoil she has experienced due to her mother’s refusal to acknowledge her suffering. She describes the profound pain of feeling abandoned by the person she thought would stand by her.

“Her silence says a lot,” she reiterates in the book. “I am hit by this implacable reality in the face: my mother does not want to believe me or to hear me. The pain runs right through me.”