Choosing Courage: Equality Now Honors Gisèle Pelicot

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On Wednesday evening, steps away from Wall Street, Cipriani 25 held Equality Now’s 15th annual Make Equality Reality Gala. Actors and comedians joined activists and changemakers under the cascading ceilings for a celebration of women who have refused to stay silent. The evening honored women whose personal stories have sparked movements far beyond themselves and asked one question: What does it really mean to choose courage? 

For more than three decades, Equality Now has been advocating for legal equality for women and girls around the world. Since its founding in 1992, the organization has helped reform more than 140 laws through advocacy and partnerships with local organizations. One of its most recent victories that was highlighted included California’s recent ban on child marriage. A reminder that the fight for equality not only happens through extraordinary individuals, but years of collective persistence. 

Ewa Abrams, President of Kering, presented Equality Now’s Trailblazer award to Gisele Pelicot, who accepted the honor while standing beside her daughter, Caroline Darian. Pelicot made the brave decision to waive the right of anonymity during the 2024 trial of her former husband and the men accused of sexually assaulting her. For nearly a decade, Dominique Pelicot had secretly drugged his wife and invited dozens of men to sexually assault her while she was unconscious. The trial resulted in the conviction of 51 men, including her former husband. Her decision to allow the proceedings to take place publicly rather than behind closed doors caused an international reckoning with sexual violence and the shame that is often placed on survivors rather than perpetrators. Pelicot’s words “shame must change sides” became a rallying cry around the world. 

“I chose to waive my right to anonymity and to a trial behind closed doors because I firmly believed that I had nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to hide,” Pelicot told the room in French, with her words translated onto a large screen. “And I hoped that, by making this choice, I could help other women free themselves from the burden of shame that was never theirs to carry.”

One of the most memorable moments of Pelicot’s speech, she recalled to the room was receiving thousands of letters from women around the world during her trial. Many simply address their envelopes to “Madame Pelicot, France.” Remarkably, they made their way to the courthouse where Pelicot would read them between hearings. The letters were filled with expressions of solidarity and reminders of the realities many women continue to carry alone. 

“Violence against women isn’t limited to nationality or culture barriers. The letters showed me that,” she said. “They reminded me many women carry shame, they are still living in silence and loneliness.” 

Beside Pelicot, her daughter, Caroline Darian has become an outspoken advocate against drug-facilitated sexual assault. Through her organization M’endors Pas, Darian is working to raise awareness of chemical submission, a form of violence that can leave survivors without the memory or evidence needed to understand what happened to them. Together, the mother/daughter duo are pushing the conversation beyond individual acts of courage and creating a future where women don’t have to be ‘extraordinary’ to simply be believed. 

Advocate and actress, Mariska Hargitay presented the Courage Award to the late Virginia Roberts Guiffre. Giuffre became one of the most prominent voices to expose Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network. By speaking publicly about the abuse she endured as a teenager she brought attention to sexual exploitation and the powerful figures who enable it. Her brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, accepted the award on her behalf. They continue her work through Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR), an organization dedicated to supporting survivors. 

The evening was as much about the institutions that have failed women, as it was the women who continue to challenge them. Equality Now CEO, Mona Sinha, told the room, “For generations women have been asked to demonstrate courage in the face of violence and discrimination. But why has much of that responsibility fallen on women rather than the institutions meant to protect them?” Sinha reminded everyone that real progress should be measured by what society is willing to change, not what women are forced to endure. 

An evening built around serious conversations also found moments of levity. Host of the night, comedian Joyelle Johnson, brought humor to the stage. Tony-winning playwright Sarah Jones performed bits of her one woman show America, Who Hurt You? Jones grabbed the audience’s attention by slipping between voices of different Americans from different generations and backgrounds. Everyone burst out into laughter as she switched from a Gen Z student to an Indian aunty. Watching her move between characters was a reminder how different people can experience the same country. 

The Brass Queens, an all female brass led band, gave a lively performance as guests sat for dinner. Books doubled as centerpieces and souvenirs for guests to take home. Among the attendees were Monica Lewinsky, filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, and actresses Saara Chaudry and Amrit Kaur. Musician Ray Angry and singer Leah Rich ended the program with a powerful performance of “Respect.” A perfect finale for an evening that asked to rethink what respect towards women looks like in practice. 

Equality Now is focusing on expanding to address new challenges facing women and girls. Combating online sexual violence to advancing economic independence, the organization is working to make sure progress keeps momentum with a fast changing world. Their goal is to continue to build a future where women are protected from injustice. 

“Being a trailblazer is not just about speaking out. It is also about making it possible for others to no longer be afraid to do so.” Pelicot’s words encompass the powerful evening. 

Photography by Jason Sanders for The Shift