Gisèle Pélicot, the victim of an alleged years-long abuse orchestrated by her ex-husband, took the stand on Thursday in a French court. Her testimony detailed the horrifying discovery that her former spouse had systematically filmed her being raped by dozens of men while she was unconscious. The court, located in the southern French city of Avignon, was left stunned by Pélicot’s chilling account.
Pélicot described her world collapsing when the police uncovered the vast extent of the abuse. Investigators found thousands of images on Dominique Pélicot’s phone and computer, capturing the suspected rapes of his wife. “It’s unbearable,” she said, her voice calm but trembling. “I have so much to say that I don’t always know where to start.”
Dominique Pélicot, now 71, along with 50 other men, is facing charges of rape and potentially 20 years in prison. The trial, which began on Monday, is expected to continue until December.
Pélicot’s lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, said that she willingly agreed to have her name published, despite the usual anonymity granted to victims of sexual crimes. She expressed her desire for the trial to be held in public, hoping her testimony could prevent other women from enduring similar ordeals.
The couple, married for 50 years, lived in a small town in Provence with their three children. In late 2020, their seemingly stable life shattered when a security agent observed Dominique Pélicot taking photos of women’s crotches in a supermarket. This led investigators to search his devices, where they unearthed the horrifying evidence.
Pélicot, shocked and devastated, left her husband after the police showed her some of the images. “For me, everything collapses,” she testified. “These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.” She left with just two suitcases, all that remained of her 50 years of marriage.
The investigation revealed that Dominique Pélicot had used a messaging website popular among criminals to invite men to sexually abuse his wife. He meticulously crafted a system over ten years, ensuring a smooth and horrifying operation. Men invited to their home had to adhere to strict rules, including not speaking loudly, disrobing in the kitchen, and refraining from wearing perfume or tobacco. They were often forced to wait for up to an hour and a half in a nearby parking lot, allowing the drug to fully take effect and render Pélicot unconscious.
“I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” she testified, her voice trembling with pain. “They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.”
The systematic nature of Dominique Pélicot’s alleged scheme allowed police to track down a majority of the 72 suspects over two years. The trial is ongoing, with the 50 other defendants, aged 22 to 70, appearing before a panel of five judges in small groups. While some defendants deny the accusations, alleging manipulation by Dominique Pélicot, the evidence against them remains compelling.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the insidious nature of sexual abuse and the devastating impact it can have on victims. With Pélicot’s courageous testimony, the court is grappling with the horrific details of this alleged abuse, highlighting the urgent need to address the pervasive issue of sexual violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
