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France's mass rape victim, the woman at the center of the case, is reappearing before the judiciary on Monday to face one of her attackers, the sole individual who is challenging last year's trial verdict in which a collective of 51 defendants were found guilty of raping her as she was, under the influence, by her husband in their family home.

At the time, the survivor's defiant public stance was seen as a potentially catalytic moment in the fight against assault. Yet within the country, that positive outlook seems to be fading.

"I am going to harm you should you remain here," snarled a man located by a historic church in the community, the charming locale where the couple had their home.

He happened to hear me questioning an older lady about the influence of the court trial on the country and, while vowing to damage our recording device too, was now stating that the town was tired of being associated with one of the internationally recognized sexual assault cases.

Several days prior, the local official had issued a softer interpretation of the same argument, in a public statement that portrayed Gisèle Pelicot's prolonged suffering as "a personal situation… that has nothing to do with us."

It is easy to comprehend Mayor Louis Bonnet's intention to defend the locality's standing and its visitor sector. However it is important to recognize that a year earlier, he'd made headlines throughout the country after he'd told me, twice, in an interview, that he wanted to "downplay" the gravity of the survivor's experiences because "there were no fatalities", and no children were involved.

It is also worth noting that nearly every one of the female residents we managed to converse with in the community last week did not share the mayor's desire to regard the proceedings as, mainly, something to "get past."

Smoking a cigarette in a covered entryway near the place of worship, a 33-year-old civil servant, who gave her name as the individual, spoke with clear frustration.

"People no longer discuss it, within this community. It appears to be forgotten. I am acquainted with a person going through domestic violence currently. Yet ladies keep it secret. They are scared of the persons who engage in such behavior," she expressed, noting that she was "certain" that additional the assailants had not been caught, and at large, in the community.

Strolling in the vicinity near a few sunbathing cats, a different individual, in her late sixties, was equally keen to talk, but held an opposing perspective of the Pelicot case.

"The world is evolving. The country is advancing." With Madame Pelicot's help? "Yes. It's been a boost, for women to speak freely," she told me, emphatically.

Nationwide, there is little question that the publicity produced by Gisèle Pelicot's worldwide shared commitment that "shame should change sides" - from victim to rapist – has supplemented the drive to a movement opposing abuse previously invigorated by the MeToo movement.

"From my perspective altering conduct is something that requires decades. [But] the proceedings triggered a significant, landmark initiative… against sexual violence, and fighting exemption from punishment," stated an activist, who manages a network of multiple women's groups in France. "We're focused on educating specialists, aiding those affected, on inquiries."

"Certainly, the nation has transformed. The cases of abuse has tripled, demonstrating that victims – women and girls – they speak up and they desire accountability," agreed a spokesperson, spokesperson for the group promoting gender equality.

However, the energy and optimism that surrounded the survivor the previous winter, as she left the courtroom and into a group of backers, have not brought about many meaningful reforms to the manner the French state addresses the challenge of sexual violence.

Actually, there is a near consensus among advocates and professionals that conditions are, rather, declining.

"Unfortunately, the government does not react," said Céline Piques, highlighting figures showing that conviction rates are flat-lining in spite of a notable surge in instances of abuse.

"The outlook is grim. There is a backlash. Notions supporting assault are coming back very strongly. This is apparent through the men's rights activism rising in popularity, notably within adolescent males," added the coordinator,