French woman testifies in court against husband accused of orchestrating her rape by 72 men

“It’s unbearable”: Gisèle Pélicot breaks silence on years of alleged abuse

In harrowing testimony delivered at a court in Avignon, southern France, Gisèle Pélicot, a woman who was allegedly drugged by her ex-husband to be raped unconscious by other men, spoke of the devastating impact of years of alleged abuse. Her ex-husband, Dominique Pélicot, and 50 other men are currently on trial on rape charges and face up to 20 years in prison.

A shocking discovery

Gisèle spoke in a controlled but emotionally charged manner about how her life was irrevocably shattered when police discovered the systematic abuse. She revealed that her ex-husband had meticulously filmed the alleged rapes and collected thousands of incriminating images that were later found by police investigators.

“It’s unbearable,” Gisèle testified. “I have so much to say that I don’t always know where to start.”

The Associated Press does not typically name victims of sex crimes, but Gisèle’s lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, said she chose to publish her name and insisted the trial be held in public. She expressed hope that her testimony might help prevent other women from going through similar ordeals.

“I thought we were a close couple,” she told the court, as she recounted the life they shared with their three children in a small town in Provence before the revelations in late 2020.

The revelation of the horror

The nightmare began to unfold when a security guard caught Dominique Pélicot photographing women’s crotches in a supermarket. This led to detectives searching his phone and computer, where they found thousands of photos and videos showing men allegedly raping Gisèle while she appeared unconscious.

Shocked and distraught, she left her husband after police showed her some of the images. “For me, everything collapses,” she said. “These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.”

Gisèle left with only two suitcases, lamenting, “All that was left for me from 50 years of living together.” She admitted with tears in her eyes, “I no longer have an identity. … I don’t know if I will ever rebuild myself.”

Systematic exploitation

Investigators discovered communications in which Dominique Pélicot allegedly invited men to sexually abuse his wife via a messaging website often used by criminals. The website has since been shut down.

The lawsuit has revealed graphic details of the alleged abuse, which reportedly began in 2011, and the elaborate system Pélicot allegedly set up for more than a decade. Men invited to the couple’s home were required to adhere to strict rules: they were not allowed to speak loudly, had to undress in the kitchen, and could not wear perfume or tobacco scents.

Some men had to wait for up to an hour and a half in a nearby parking lot before the drug took full effect and Gisèle passed out.

“I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” she testified. “They considered me a rag doll, a garbage bag.”

Prosecution and trial

Thanks to Dominique Pélicot’s video recordings of the alleged rapes, police were able to track down the majority of the 72 suspects over the course of two years. In addition to Pélicot, 50 other men, aged 22 to 70, are on trial. Several suspects deny some of the charges and claim that they were manipulated by Pélicot.

In the coming months, the suspects will appear in small groups before a panel of five judges. Dominique Pélicot will testify next week, and the court will also hear from psychologists, psychiatrists and computer experts.

In search of justice

Gisèle’s courageous testimony sheds light on an unimaginable betrayal and seeks to bring justice to those responsible. Her story underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the hidden suffering of victims of sexual crimes, in the hope of preventing similar horrors in the future.