Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
Gisèle Pelicot has recounted the horrific moment she discovered her husband, Dominique Pelicot, had been drugging and raping her—allowing other men to do the same.
In 2024, the trial for Dominique and several other individuals involved in the abuse of Gisèle commenced, with the shocking revelations gaining international attention.
Evidence presented in court showed that Gisèle had endured extensive abuse from 2011 to 2020. During this period, her husband of over 30 years not only drugged and raped her but also permitted other men to violate her, while documenting these heinous acts through photos and videos.
The Guardian reported that at least 83 men were implicated in the assaults on Gisèle, although only 51, including Dominique, were ultimately convicted.
Gisèle was oblivious to the abuse she suffered until Dominique was apprehended for taking inappropriate photos of women in public.
During the investigation, police discovered disturbing images of Gisèle asleep and being assaulted by various men.
In an interview with The New York Times, Gisèle reflected on how she initially learned about the abuse she had endured.
She was summoned by police and, while speaking to Lieutenant Perret, noticed ‘a pile of files next to his desk’.
“He says to me, ‘Mrs Pelicot, what I’m about to tell you isn’t going to please you’,” Gisèle recounted.
“I’m really starting to worry, heart is racing. I say to him, ‘What’s going on?'”
The detective indicated the stack of documents and presented her with a photograph.
“He says, ‘Do you recognize yourself in this photo?’ And, of course, I don’t recognize myself,” Gisèle recalled, describing how she was shown with a man she did not know, who was assaulting her.
I sat down with Gisele Pelicot for almost 3 hours in Paris. This Saturday, the first American interview @nytimes . An astonishing and deeply moving conversation. pic.twitter.com/7oB2VjQ7lz
— Lulu NYT (@LuluGNavarro) February 10, 2026
She told police she was unfamiliar with the man and questioned if the woman in the photo was indeed her. The officer then showed her another photo that was ‘pretty much the same’.
Lieutenant Perret explained: “This is your room, Mrs Pelicot. These are your bedside lamps. We searched your home. These are your belongings.”
Gisèle experienced a sense of ‘disassociation’ and declined the officer’s offer to show her further evidence in video form.
Police informed her that Dominique was in custody and that she had been raped numerous times. By then, 53 additional men had been arrested.
Dominique was ultimately convicted of all charges related to the rape and drugging of Gisèle, receiving a 20-year prison sentence.
His 50 co-defendants were also found guilty, with all but one charged with rape.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online via online.rainn.org.