Gisèle Pélicot, a 72-year-old French woman, revealed in court the traumatic discovery that her husband, Dominique Pélicot, had drugged her for nearly a decade and allowed over 80 men to rape her without her knowledge. The police discovered the abuse in November 2020, after Dominique was caught filming women inappropriately in a supermarket.
Investigators found a file labeled “abuses” on his computer, containing around 20,000 images and videos documenting nearly 100 assaults on his wife. Gisèle, who had been unaware of these events due to being drugged into unconsciousness, said her world collapsed upon learning the truth from the police.
In her court testimony, Gisèle explained that she found the courage to watch some of the footage in May 2023, describing the scenes as horrifying. She has waived her right to anonymity and is determined to speak out publicly for all women who have been assaulted while drugged, hoping to prevent others from suffering similar abuse.
Her husband, Dominique, admitted to drugging her by mixing crushed sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications into her food or wine. He also confessed to offering her to strangers for rape, using an online chatroom to find men who were instructed to avoid leaving traces of their presence.
French Woman Reveals Decade of Abuse Orchestrated by Husband in Shocking Court Testimony
The trial revealed that between 2011 and 2020, Dominique had meticulously planned the assaults, instructing the men to avoid waking his wife by leaving immediately if she moved even slightly. Fifty men are currently on trial for their involvement, though investigators believe there were more than 30 others who have not been identified.
Gisèle described the effects of being unknowingly drugged over the years, noting how her memory, concentration, and physical health deteriorated. Medical tests conducted during the investigation confirmed that she had contracted multiple sexually transmitted diseases.
Gisèle expressed how devastating it was to see herself in the videos, comparing her motionless body to that of a rag doll or a dead person. She emphasized that rape was not an adequate term for the violation she endured, calling it torture instead.
The emotional toll of learning about the abuse has been overwhelming, with her recalling the agonizing moment when she had to inform her adult children, including her daughter’s heart-wrenching scream. Since then, she has left her home with just two suitcases and has struggled with her sense of identity and self-worth.
The trial, which is expected to last four months, involves 50 men, including professionals such as a local councillor, a journalist, and a firefighter, many of whom lived near the Pélicots’ village. Some of the defendants claim they were unaware that Gisèle was not a consenting participant, accusing Dominique of deceiving them.
Gisèle’s lawyer has praised her strength throughout the ordeal, and she insisted on a public trial, rejecting the idea of proceedings behind closed doors. If convicted, Dominique Pélicot and the other defendants face up to 20 years in prison for aggravated rape.
