The woman, who testified that she was drugged for years by her ex-husband to be raped by other men while unconscious, said that when the police discovered her abuse history her life fell apart.
Gisele Pelicot, in a calm voice and a clear tone, described to the Avignon court the horror she felt when she discovered that her ex-husband had systematically recorded the alleged rapes of dozens of males — storing thousands of images that later police investigators found.
She testified, “It is unbearable.” “I don’t know where to begin sometimes because I have so many things to say.”
Dominique Pelicot (now 71) and 50 other men face trial for aggravated rape. They could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. The trial began on Monday and will likely last until December. Gisele Pelicot testified for the first time on Thursday.
In general, we don’t identify sexual crime victims. Stephane Babonneau said that Gisele Pelicot, through her lawyer, accepted the publication of her name in the same manner that she demanded that the trial take place in public.
She told the court she hoped her testimony could help save other women from a similar ordeal. She said that she wanted the trial to be held in public court as a sign of solidarity with women who are not recognized as victims.
She and her 50-year-old husband had three children. After retiring, they moved into a small house in Provence before their world was shattered in late 2020.
She told the court, “I thought that we were a very close couple.”
A security agent discovered her husband photographing women’s crotches at a supermarket. This led investigators to search Dominique Pelicot’s computer and phone. The investigators found thousands of photos and videos showing men raping Gisele at their house while she was unconscious.
She left her husband in shock after the police showed her the images.
She testified, “Everything collapses for me.” “These scenes are barbaric, they’re scenes of rape.”
She said that she left with just two suitcases. “That was all I had left of our 50-year life together. Since then, I no longer have any identity.” … “I don’t think I’ll be able to rebuild myself.”
Investigators from the police found communications Dominique Pelicot sent to a popular messaging site used by criminals. In them, he allegedly invited men to sexually abuse his spouse. The website was shut down.
The trial revealed some crude details about the alleged abuses that began in 2011, according to the investigators, and the elaborate system Pelicot implemented over 10 years.
Dominique Pelicot, during earlier questioning, told investigators men who were invited to their home had to adhere to certain rules. They could not speak loudly in the kitchen and had to take off their clothes. They also could not wear perfume or smell like tobacco.
The drug could take up to an hour-and-a-half to fully work and render Gisele unconscious.
She testified, “I was sacrificed at the altar of vice.” “They treated me as if I was a ragdoll, a garbage bag.”
Dominique Pelicot recorded the alleged rapes. Over two years, the police found a majority (72 of them) of the suspects.
In addition to Pelicot’s case, 50 men ranging in age from 22 to 70 are also on trial. Pelicot is accused of manipulating several defendants, who deny some of the charges against them.
In the coming months, defendants in small groups will appear before a panel consisting of five judges. Pelicot is scheduled to testify next week. Also, psychologists, psychiatrists, and computer experts are expected to testify.
