Justice has spoken again — this time even louder. The only man who appealed his conviction for raping French grandmother Gisele Pelicot has had his sentence increased.

Husamettin Dogan, 44, an unemployed builder from Turkey, was found guilty of raping Ms. Pelicot in her bedroom in 2019. A jury in the southern city of Nîmes raised his sentence from nine to ten years, dismissing his attempt to blame her husband. “You must take responsibility for your actions,” Ms. Pelicot told him in court.

The shocking case involved more than 50 men, including Ms. Pelicot’s husband, who had arranged the assaults over several years. Dogan was the only one to continue appealing after the first trial. Prosecutors said he acted willingly and was not manipulated, despite his claims.

“I am the only victim,” Ms. Pelicot declared firmly. Her bravery has turned her into a national symbol against sexual violence. “The damage is done, and I must rebuild myself from the ruins,” she said — a message that continues to inspire victims everywhere.

Her words remind us all: shame belongs to the abuser, never to the survivor.