Weekend Woman's Hour: Gisèle Pelicot and Mother Courage

About this episode

Gisèle Pelicot discusses her traumatic experience and memoir, while exploring women's co-housing and mental health struggles.

In 2024, Gisèle Pelicot waved her legal right to anonymity for the trial of her then husband, declaring that shame has to change sides. Her then husband had drugged and raped her and invited other men to rape her, filming as they did so. He was found guilty of her aggravated rape, along with 46 other men. Gisèle has now written her memoir, A Hymn to Life and joins Nuala McGovern to talk about her decision to have an open court, the devasting effect on her and her family of her ex-husband’s actions and finding love again in her 70s. New Ground is the UK’s first purpose-built co-housing community for women over 50, designed and developed on their own terms. The women moved in ten years ago, and the community is still going strong. But what’s it really like to live this way? Kylie speaks to two residents, Jude and Ann. Hannah Murray is best known for playing Cassie in E4’s teen drama Skins, and as a regular in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones as Gilly. But behind the scenes Hannah was struggling with her mental health, and she found herself involved in an organisation that offered courses in magical healing. The following year, Hannah was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She’s…

People in this episode

Hosts: Nuala McGovern, Kylie

Guests: Gisèle Pelicot, Hannah Murray

Topics covered

• sexual violence
• mental health
• co-housing
• memoir
• women's rights
• aging
• resilience

Keywords

• Gisèle Pelicot
• sexual harassment
• co-housing community
• Hannah Murray
• bipolar disorder
• memoir
• women over 50
• resilience
• mental health
• trial

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: New Ground

Books & works: A Hymn to Life, The Make-Believe – A Memoir of Magic and Madness

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