When she emerged, she made two key decisions that transformed her into a feminist hero. The conviction of her rapists and the husband who orchestrated them is justice of a sort but it could all have taken place in the context of the same old story: the shaming, blaming and bullying of a woman in court. She broke that story, and wrote her own instead.
Her lawyer, Stephane Babonneau, said that had she kept the matter private, she would be behind doors with nobody but her, us, perhaps some family, and 51 accused men and 40 defence lawyers. And she didn't want to be jailed in a courtroom with them for four months, her on one side and 90 other people on the opposite benches.
It was a bold decision, and one that meant, ultimately, that even if 90 people were on the opposite benches, millions who support women's rights were with her, offering her flowers, cheers and support as she entered and exited the court day after day; demonstrating in her name, demanding France come to terms with its rampant misogyny.
These actions represent another verdict - one that is perhaps even more powerful than the court's. This huge public response is a result of Gisele Pelicot's other moral and psychological decision: to reject shame.
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