Gisèle Pelicot has said she is “deeply shocked” after three teenage boys convicted of raping two girls in Hampshire were spared custodial sentences by a UK court.
The boys, aged between 13 and 15 at the time of the attacks, were convicted over two separate assaults involving girls aged 15 and 14 in Fordingbridge between November 2024 and January 2025.
The case has sparked widespread public outrage after the judge sentenced the teenagers to youth rehabilitation orders instead of detention, citing their young ages and the need to avoid unnecessary criminalisation.
Speaking to the BBC during an appearance at the Hay Festival, Pelicot said she was shocked the offenders were allowed to regain their freedom while the victims continue to suffer the long-term trauma of the attacks.
“Rape is a crime and justice has an essential role,” Pelicot said. “It’s there to recognise the suffering of victims and remind society these crimes must not remain unpunished.”
Pelicot, who became internationally known after waiving her anonymity during one of France’s most high-profile rape trials, also praised one of the teenage victims for publicly speaking out about her experience.
“I salute her strength and courage,” Pelicot said, adding that she hoped her own story encouraged other survivors to come forward.
The case also reignited debate about the influence of social media after the boys filmed and shared videos of the assaults online.
Pelicot urged governments and technology companies to do more to protect victims and prevent the spread of abusive content online.
The sentencing decision is now under review by Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer, who will decide whether the punishments should be referred to the Court of Appeal.
Judge Nicholas Rowland, who sentenced the boys at Southampton Crown Court, acknowledged the seriousness of the crimes but stressed the importance of rehabilitation due to the offenders’ ages.
One of the convicted 15-year-olds received a three-year youth rehabilitation order with intensive supervision for the rape of both girls and indecent image offences. Another 15-year-old received the same sentence for multiple rape charges and filming offences, while a 14-year-old boy received an 18-month order for encouraging one of the assaults.
All three were also given curfews and restraining orders preventing contact with the victims for ten years.
One of the victims, now 16, described the sentences as a “slap on the wrist” and questioned why she had endured the trauma of a public trial if the offenders would avoid detention.
The case has drawn reactions from political leaders, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer describing the attacks as “appalling” and praising the bravery of the victims.
