Woman testifies husband drugged her for years, recruited dozens to rape her
A 72-year-old French woman, Gisèle Pélicot, has detailed the horrifying discovery that her husband of 50 years, Dominique Pélicot, drugged her and allowed other men to rape her while she was unconscious.
The court in Avignon, France, heard Gisèle’s emotional testimony as she revealed the ordeal that spanned over a decade.
On the third day of the trial, Gisèle recounted how she was initially unaware of the abuse and trusted her husband, Dominique, 71, who stands among 51 men accused of rape.
The shocking revelation came in November 2020 when the police summoned her for questioning, initially believing it was related to Dominique’s arrest for taking inappropriate photographs of women. However, her world shattered when the officers showed her disturbing photographs of her unconscious body being raped by strangers.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Gisèle said, struggling to recognise herself in the images. “It was unbearable. I was inert, in my bed, and a man was raping me. My world fell apart.”
Court documents reveal that Dominique admitted to getting sexual gratification from watching other men violate his wife while she was unconscious.
He meticulously planned the assaults, ensuring that the men followed strict instructions, such as avoiding perfumes or tobacco that could awaken her. Investigators have uncovered around 4,000 photographs and videos documenting the assaults, which allegedly occurred between 2011 and 2020.
READ ALSO: Frenchman recruits strangers to rape drugged wife
While many of the accused claim they believed the acts were consensual, Gisèle firmly told the court that she was never aware or complicit in the events. She waived her right to anonymity, wanting to bring shame upon those who had violated her and to speak on behalf of other women who might have suffered in silence. “I’m here so that no woman has to suffer like this,” she declared.
Gisèle shared that up until the discovery, she thought her marriage had been a happy one despite past challenges. “We had overcome many difficulties together, and I forgave him when he promised the upskirting incident was a one-off. But this betrayal destroyed everything we had built – our three children, seven grandchildren. We were an ideal couple.”
During her testimony, Gisèle described the agony of informing her children about their father’s crimes. “I had to tell my daughter her father raped me, and allowed others to rape me. She let out a howl that I will never forget.”
Police allege that Dominique contacted the men via sex-chat websites, inviting them to their home in Mazan, where they would wait for Gisèle to be drugged before committing the assaults. It is believed that Dominique personally raped his wife in over half of the documented cases.
After learning the truth, Gisèle discovered that she had contracted four sexually-transmitted diseases, including one from an HIV-positive man who allegedly raped her six times. She is currently divorcing Dominique.
Gisèle concluded her testimony with a poignant statement about the emotional wreckage she now faces. “Inside me, it is a scene of devastation. The façade may look solid, but behind it…”
The trial continues, as the court prepare to hear more evidence regarding the involvement of thr other accused men.
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