For years, Gisele Pelicot believed her husband Dominique was her rock, supporting her through health struggles and always being there when she needed him most.
Unbeknownst to her, he was secretly crushing sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication into her meals and drinks, and inviting men to sexually assault her over a nine-year span from 2011 to 2020. Now, at 72, Gisele has opened up about the shocking discovery that she was a victim of such horrific crimes.
The case has sent shockwaves around the globe – Dominique Pelicot is currently on trial in France, accused of drugging and raping his wife and facilitating dozens of other men to do the same while she was unconscious. His wife Gisele has chosen to waive her right to anonymity and, despite feeling utterly shattered, she wants to show other victims of sexual assault that they are not at fault. But how did she uncover her husband’s appalling crimes?
Reports suggest that the truth emerged after a shop security guard caught Pelicot filming up unsuspecting women’s skirts in 2020.
Police raided his home and discovered thousands of explicit photos and videos on his phone, laptop and USB stick. Speaking in court, Gisèle expressed her feelings of utter betrayal upon discovering the truth, reports the Mirror.
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“I wish I could still call him Dominique,” she lamented. “We lived together for 50 years, I was a happy, fulfilled woman. You were a caring, attentive husband, and I never doubted you. We shared laughter and tears. I am trying to understand how this man, who to me was perfect, could have done this. How can he have betrayed me at this point? How could you let these strangers into my bedroom?”
In a shocking case, the victim’s spouse has confessed to hiring men over the internet to sexually assault Gisèle while she was sedated. This harrowing trial in France is revealing the dark connections between pornography, online chat forums, and the troubling attitudes towards consent that contribute to rape culture.
Last year, French authorities recorded 114,000 sexual violence victims, with over 25,000 reported rapes.
Experts argue that the actual number of rapes is likely higher as many go unreported due to insufficient evidence. Statistically, about 80 per cent of women do not file complaints, and of those who do, 80 per cent see their cases dismissed before an investigation occurs.
Police identified 50 individuals from footage found in Dominique Pelicot’s possession. The accused, alongside Pelicot, face prison sentences of up to 20 years if found guilty. In total, 49 men stand accused of rape, one of attempted rape and another of sexual assault. Additionally, five others face charges of possessing child abuse imagery.
The accused, ranging in age from 26 to 74, include a diverse group of professions such as a nurse, a journalist, a prison officer, a local councillor, a soldier, lorry drivers and farm workers.
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