Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing.
A French woman is currently in court against her husband, who is accused of drugging her to unconsciousness for nearly ten years and permitting numerous men to enter their home and sexually assault her.
The 72-year-old victim, who has chosen to reveal her identity, is named Gisèle Pélicot.
She attended an open court session on Monday (September 2) alongside her three children as her husband, 71-year-old Dominique Pélicot, faced trial in Avignon, a city in southern France.
Gisèle expressed her hope that her public testimony would help prevent other women from enduring similar experiences. She insisted on a public trial to stand in solidarity with other victims of sexual crimes whose stories often remain unheard.
The case has brought forth a series of disturbing allegations. According to The New York Post, Dominique allegedly used an online forum to invite men to their home and filmed them sexually assaulting his wife from 2011 to 2020. This website has since been shut down.
The men who entered the couple’s home reportedly had to adhere to specific rules such as maintaining silence, undressing in the kitchen, and avoiding the use of perfume or tobacco to ensure no traces were left and to avoid waking Gisèle.
Gisèle discovered the alleged abuse after her husband was caught photographing women’s crotches in a supermarket in late 2020. This led to a police investigation of his phone and computer drives, where thousands of images of Gisèle’s alleged assaults were found.
Following the police revelation, she left her husband.
Gisèle reportedly expressed her gratitude to the lieutenant in Carpentras who arrested her husband, saying: “He saved my life and I probably wouldn’t be here without him.”
Over two years, the police managed to identify most of the suspects seen in the videos and images of the alleged rapes.
According to CBS, Dominique not only filmed the rapes but also participated in them and encouraged the men to use degrading language toward his wife. These men will also face trial.
Dominique’s lawyer stated that he “always declared himself guilty,” while several other defendants deny the accusations, claiming they were manipulated by Dominique. If convicted of aggravated rape, they face up to 20 years in prison.
Gisèle and Dominique had been married for 50 years and have three children together.
Gisèle recounted to the court that her daughter “screamed like a wild beast” upon first hearing the allegations.
“I will never forget this,” she added. “When I told my sons about this, I don’t think they really understood. They were withdrawn and didn’t react much. I think they were in a state of shock. They said don’t say such silly things.”
“I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” Gisèle testified in court. “They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag… I no longer have an identity. I don’t know if I’ll ever rebuild myself.”
“For me, everything collapses. These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.”
The trial is ongoing and is expected to continue until December.
If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. You can also chat online via online.rainn.org