ISD’s Cécile Simmons featured in Guardian panel on Pelicot rape trial verdict

Cécile Simmons, a Research Manager at ISD, was featured on a panel for The Guardian discussing the Pelicot rape trial verdict. Over 50 men, including Pelicot’s husband Dominique, were found guilty of drugging and raping Gisèle Pelicot in Avignon, France. In her segment, Cécile explains how online platforms enabled the abuse.  

“Dominique Pelicot used a now-closed online chat platform known for facilitating pornography and child sexual abuse to orchestrate his abuse,” said Cécile. “This website is only one of many, part of an online world rife with illegal, dehumanising and degrading sexual material that continues to evade legal accountability,” 

“The frontiers of digital abuse keep moving: lawmakers and the government need to be ahead of the abusers, not playing catch-up.” 

Read the full article on The Guardian’s website.