MELBOURNE, Australia — A group of Gisele Pelicot’s Australian admirers said Friday they’re moved that the victim in France’s notorious drugging-and-rape case has acknowledged her distant supporters Down Under by wearing a scarf adorned with Aboriginal art.
The 72-year-old who refused to remain an anonymous victim wore the silk scarf several times during the court process in Avignon, including when 51 men were convicted and sentenced to prison for molesting her after she had been drugged by her former husband, Dominique Pelicot.
The scarf was a 220 Australian dollar ($137) gift from a Sydney-based rights advocacy group, Older Women’s Network, its chief executive Yumi Lee said.
“We were astounded, absolutely gobsmacked, honored that she accepted our gesture of solidarity,” Lee said.
Lee, 59, said her group with 1,000 members across New South Wales state, who campaign on issues including sexual violence, raised donations to buy the scarf in September when the court case was already underway.
They decided on the gesture because Avignon, 17,000 kilometers (11,000 miles) from Sydney, was too distant for most to travel to demonstrate their support in person, Lee said.
Gisele Pelicot “has said that shame has to change sides and she wants all the victims of sexual assault to think that if she can do it, they can too,” Lee said.
“She has also proven that sexual assault knows no barriers. Everyone from young to old are victims of sexual assault. So she’s busted that myth,” Lee added.
Lee said she was surprised that Gisele Pelicot’s lawyer wrote to her group to acknowledge the receipt of the scarf.
“Her lawyer wrote to us to say she has received it and was interested in the fact that it’s a First Nation’s design and that she will be wearing it in court. So she has worn it a few times,” Lee said.
The scarf is a reproduction of the art of Indigenous painter Mulyatingki Marney. It depicts a cluster of saltwater pools known for their healing properties on Marney’s traditional land, the retailer One of Twelve said on its website.
The Canberra-based business showcases art from the Asia-Pacific region and pays the artists royalties from the sales of scarves, ties and woven bags from Papua New Guinea called bilums.
“We picked this design because, number one, it’s beautiful, it’s got lovely colors, it’s drawn by a First Nations, older woman and it’s story about healing,” Lee said.
One of Twelve owner Anna Saboisky said the attention Gisele Pelicot had brought to their scarf had overwhelmed the tiny business.
A second print run of scarves had almost sold out and a third run was on the way.
“Since I woke up this morning, I’ve had about 20 orders placed online,” Saboisky said.
“We’re just a small business. It’s completely unprecedented to have so much interest in one scarf,” she added.
Lee said if Avignon had not been so far away, “we would be there shouting.”
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