Gisèle Pelicot’s fight for justice after years of hidden abuse

Warning: This article contains discussion of the rape of Gisèle Pelicot, which some readers may find distressing.

Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman married to Dominique Pelicot for over 50 years, was the victim of sexual abuse. For over a decade, her husband and over 80 men subjected her to the most horrific abuse. Dominique orchestrated these horrific abuses by inviting strangers to rape his wife while she was unconscious. The case has shocked France and the rest of the world. It sheds light on the depths of domestic violence and the sinister manipulation that can take place within a marriage.

Gisèle lived in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, and her life seemed normal to outsiders. However, throughout their marriage she experienced recurring disorientation, fatigue and blackouts, unaware of the horrible reality that was happening behind her back.

A shocking discovery

In 2020, Dominique’s predatory behavior began to unfold when he was caught filming women up their skirts in a supermarket. Security detained him, and an investigation of his phone and computer revealed a trove of disturbing evidence: thousands of photos and videos showing men raping Gisèle in their home while she lay unconscious. When police revealed this to Gisèle, she immediately left her husband.

Gisèle Pelicot’s first court appearance

Public attention intensified on September 5, 2024, when Gisèle testified in court for the first time. “It’s unbearable,” she said. “I have so much to say that I don’t always know where to start.” She explained calmly: “Everything collapses for me. These are scenes of the barbarity of rape. I no longer have an identity… I don’t know if I will ever rebuild myself.”

A courageous stand for justice

Gisèle took the courageous decision to reveal her name and demanded that the trial be open to the public, to ensure that her ordeal would be fully revealed.

“I speak for every woman who has been drugged without knowing it. I am taking back control of my life to denounce chemical subjugation. Many women have no proof. I have proof of what I have been through.”

During their investigation into Dominique, now 71, police discovered messages from a criminal website on which he approached men to sexually abuse his wife. The website has since been shut down. Dominique had meticulously planned the abuse, which began in 2011, for more than a decade.

Mounting evidence of predatory behavior

He has been charged with multiple counts of rape, sexual assault and other crimes. As the investigation continued, more incriminating evidence emerged, including nude photos of his former daughter-in-law, Aurora Pelicot, and footage of another woman he secretly filmed in a dressing room. Some of the perpetrators claimed ignorance, insisting that they believed the encounters were consensual or that they did not know Gisèle was drugged.

Six new suspects as trial expands

In a significant development, the court opened hearings against six new defendants on September 23, 2024, as the case entered its fourth week. Dominique, who has pleaded guilty to the charges, is accused of orchestrating the abuse and recruiting dozens of strangers to rape his wife for nearly a decade.

One of the men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot said he only went to their house because he had “nothing else to do” on New Year’s Eve.

Andy Rodriguez, a father of two, is one of 51 men on trial for the rape of Gisèle Pelicot.

A complex web of accused men

Dominique, 71, has been on trial since early September, along with 50 other men aged between 26 and 74. Gisele, also 71, was greeted with applause by the public as she arrived at the courthouse, where a crowd had gathered to support her and witness the trial.

She listened without emotion as psychological profiles of six of her alleged attackers were presented. Among them was 22-year-old Joan Kwai, the youngest of the 50 co-defendants, accused of raping Gisèle on two occasions and attempting a third, which Dominique eventually called off. The other suspects are Andy Rodriguez, 37, Hugues Malago, 39, Husamettin Dogan, 43, Mathieu Dartus, 53, and Fabien Sotton, 39.

Growing public outrage and calls for justice

As the trial continues, public outrage has grown, with many calling for justice for Gisèle and demanding harsher sentences for those involved. The case has become emblematic of the hidden, pervasive nature of domestic violence and the extreme lengths some abusers will go to control and harm their victims.

The trial is expected to last until December, with French prosecutors working to build a comprehensive case for justice for Gisèle Pelicot. The case has also fueled a broader conversation in France about the need for stronger protections for survivors of domestic abuse and more robust mechanisms to detect and prevent such long-term exploitation.

Mimi Mefo info