Cimetière du Père-Lachaise (continued): #37: Samira Bellil

'Samira
Bellil
1972 – 2004'

Samira Bellil was born in Algiers and died in Paris. She was raped at the age of thirteen and again three years later. Her trauma led to her successfully seeking psychiatric help, and she later wrote a successful book, Dans l'enfer des tournantes (2002). Tournantes, viols collectifs or viols en reunion are various expressions for gang or multiple rape. She became a teacher and a school in the town l'Île-Saint-Denis has been named after her. She died of stomach cancer.