As Gisèle Pelicot faces an individual attackers before the court, what has changed across the nation?

France's survivor of multiple assaults, Gisèle Pelicot, is reappearing before the judiciary on Monday to face one of her attackers, the sole individual who is challenging the judicial outcome from the previous year in which a collective of 51 defendants were found guilty of attacking her as she was, under the influence, due to her spouse in their residence.

Back then, Madame Pelicot's public resistance was viewed as a potentially catalytic moment in the fight against abuse. However across the nation, that optimism looks to be diminishing.

"I'll smash your head in if you don't leave now," growled a individual standing outside a ancient place of worship in Mazan, the scenic area where the couple previously resided.

He happened to hear me inquiring with a senior resident about the influence of the court trial on the country and, while vowing to damage our camera too, was now stating that the town was weary of being connected to one of the world's most notorious sexual assault cases.

Earlier in the week, the mayor of Mazan had released a more diplomatic statement of the similar perspective, in a official announcement that portrayed the survivor's prolonged suffering as "an individual issue… that has nothing to do with us."

One may appreciate the leader's intention to safeguard the community's image and its travel business. Yet it should be pointed out that a previous period, he'd received coverage across France after he'd told me, twice, in an discussion, that he sought to "play down" the seriousness of the individual's trauma because "no-one was killed", and youth were not affected.

Furthermore it is important to observe that almost all the women we were able to interview in Mazan recently disagreed with the official's wish to view the legal matter as, primarily, something to "get past."

Having a smoke in a shaded doorway not far from the place of worship, a government worker, who gave her name as the individual, communicated with open resentment.

"People no longer discuss it, within this community. It's as if it never happened. I am acquainted with a person going through domestic violence currently. However females conceal it. They're afraid of the persons who do these things," she said, mentioning that she was "convinced" that further the assailants were still at large, and at large, in the neighbourhood.

Walking nearby by some felines soaking up the sun, Aurore Baralier, elderly, was just as eager to converse, but took a different view of the legal matter.

"Globally things are changing. France is evolving." With Madame Pelicot's help? "Certainly. It has provided encouragement, for women to talk without fear," she informed me, emphatically.

Across France, there is little question that the publicity generated by Gisèle Pelicot's worldwide shared determination that "embarrassment must transfer" - from victim to rapist – has provided added momentum to a movement opposing sexual violence already energised by the MeToo movement.

"I would say altering conduct is something that takes generations. [But] the proceedings ignited a significant, landmark initiative… against sexual violence, and against impunity," stated a coordinator, who co-ordinates a alliance of 50 feminist organisations in the nation. "We concentrate on training professionals, assisting survivors, on inquiries."

"Yes, France has changed. The [number of] complaints of rapes has tripled, indicating that victims – women and girls – they voice their experiences and they want justice," agreed Céline Piques, voice of the NGO "Dare to be feminist".

However, the energy and optimism that surrounded the survivor last December, as she left the judicial building and into a group of backers, have not led to many substantive changes to the approach the authorities tackles the matter of sexual violence.

Actually, there is a near consensus among campaigners and experts that conditions are, rather, declining.

"Unfortunately, the government does not react," said the advocate, highlighting data indicating that numbers of guilty verdicts are not improving notwithstanding a sharp rise in cases of assault.

"The outlook is grim. There is opposition. Rape culture ideas are resurfacing significantly. This is apparent through the men's rights activism rising in popularity, particularly among young boys and teenagers," continued Alyssa Ahrabare,