A French court is hearing a shocking case in which Dominique Pelicot is accused of arranging for dozens of men to rape his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, over nearly a decade while she was drugged and unconscious.
According to BBC, the trial began in September at the court in Avignon and has drawn worldwide attention. Gisele, 72, waived her right to anonymity to ensure her story is heard.
Testifying in court, she said, “All of them came to rape me. All committed a crime.”
Dominique Pelicot is alleged to have lured men online to their home in Mazan, where the assaults took place.
While a few defendants admitted to the crime, most claim they were either tricked or unaware of her condition. Dominique has denied drugging or manipulating the men, stating, “Absolutely not,” and accusing them of using him as a scapegoat.
One defendant, Philippe L., admitted he followed Dominique’s instructions but claimed he was not thinking straight.
ALSO READ: Rape: How I became sexually active at 10 – Charly Boy
Another defendant argued that he had been drugged and was unaware of the situation. Gisèle rejected these defences, asking, “At what point did they think I gave consent?”
The trial has revealed disturbing details about Dominique’s actions. Police discovered thousands of videos on his laptop documenting the assaults, which were filmed without Gisèle’s knowledge.
The investigation began after a supermarket security guard caught Dominique secretly filming under women’s skirts, leading to the discovery of his crimes.
The case has also taken a toll on Gisèle’s family. Her daughter, Caroline, confronted her father in court after learning he had stored partially nude images of her on his laptop, including one labelled “my naked daughter.”
Shouting across the courtroom, she said, “You are lying. I am sick of your lies,” before storming out with her siblings.
During the trial, defence lawyer Nadia El-Bouroumi sparked outrage by suggesting that Gisèle had been harsher in her comments towards the other defendants than towards her ex-husband. Gisèle stood firm, saying she had lost 10 years of her life due to the drugs Dominique gave her. “I thought l’d either die or end up in a mental hospital,” she said.
The trial has raised critical questions about the issue of consent in French law and the prevalence of drug-induced sexual assault with a verdict expected to be passed in December.
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
