On December 19, a highly anticipated case in France where a man invited over 70 men to rape his own wife resulted in a verdict with the husband and several other men convicted of rape. The mastermind, 72-year-old Dominique Pelicot, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The victim, 72-year-old Gisele Pelicot, listened to the verdict in court. Throughout the three-month trial, she became a symbol of female courage and resilience as she waived her right to anonymity and closed-door trial, even pushing for the chilling abuse videos to be played in court.
Supporters outside the Avignon court cheered upon hearing the guilty verdict. Gisele expressed gratitude for the support she received.
Dominique Pelicot, who had been married to Gisele for 50 years, had previously pleaded guilty. A panel of five judges sentenced him to a maximum of 20 years in prison at the prosecutor’s request.
The court found 46 other defendants guilty of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault, with sentences ranging from 3 to 15 years, lower than the prosecution’s request of 4 to 18 years.
Many defendants denied the charges, claiming they believed it was a consensual game orchestrated by the couple, arguing that if the husband consented, it wasn’t rape, or that they were deceived or manipulated by Dominique Pelicot.
Not a single man reported Pelicot to the authorities.
In response to these justifications, Gisele stated, “When you walk into a room and see a motionless body, do you decide not to react? Why didn’t you leave immediately to call the police? They must be accountable for their actions. They raped. Rape is rape.”
72-year-old Dominique Pelicot denied misleading these men he met online, stating they were fully aware of what they were doing. In his testimony, he said, “I am as much a rapist as anyone else in this room.”
The defendants came from various backgrounds, including truck drivers, soldiers, firefighters, security personnel, farm workers, a supermarket employee, a journalist, and unemployed individuals. Dominique Pelicot had worked as an electrician and real estate agent.
The youngest suspect entering Gisele Pelicot’s bedroom was only 22, while the oldest was in his 70s. Many suspects had children, wives, or girlfriends. Most lived within a 50-kilometer radius of the Pelicot residence.
The authorities stumbled upon this case by chance. In 2020, Dominique Pelicot was arrested at a supermarket for attempting to take photos under women’s skirts. Subsequent searches of his computer revealed over 20,000 photos and dozens of videos, exposing a horrific secret he had hidden for a decade, which Gisele herself was unaware of.
Police believe 72 men visited the Pelicot residence, raping and abusing Gisele from 2011 to October 2020. However, they were unable to identify all suspects.
Dominique Pelicot contacted these men through a website that has since been shut down.
Dominique Pelicot admitted to drugging his wife’s food and coffee with powerful sedatives, causing her to sleep for hours.
Gisele revealed that Dominique always cooked for her at night, accompanied by wine and later raspberry ice cream, of which she had no knowledge of the sedatives added to them.
Believing she had developed Alzheimer’s or a brain tumor due to the memory gaps from those times, Gisele visited doctors multiple times, with Dominique accompanying her each time.
Married since 1973, Gisele expressed shock at the extent of her husband’s betrayal during the trial and has since divorced him.
Dominique Pelicot was also convicted of photographing his daughter and two daughters-in-law.
On Tuesday, he reiterated not having mistreated his daughter or grandchildren. At that moment, his daughter interrupted him in court, calling him a fraud.
She exclaimed, “You don’t even have the courage to tell the truth! You will die in lies. You are alone in lies.”
The defendants have ten days to decide whether to appeal. Dominique Pelicot’s lawyer stated he was considering an appeal.
This trial has had a significant impact in France, with pressure on politicians to enact legislation to protect women even before the trial’s conclusion.
The existing French laws on rape do not explicitly mention that sexual activity must involve consent.
Last month, the French government announced a series of measures to ensure better access to testing facilities for women who suspect being drugged. However, due to government changes, this legislation has been temporarily shelved.
(References to English Epoch Times and Reuters reports)