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 subjected to sexual abuse. For more than a decade, her husband and over 80 men subjected her to the most horrific abuse. Dominique orchestrated this horrifying abuse, 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 abuse and the sinister manipulation that can occur within a marriage.
Living in Saint-Brieuc, Brittany, Gisèle’s life appeared normal to outsiders. However, throughout their marriage, she experienced recurring disorientation, fatigue, and blackouts, unaware of the horrific reality unfolding behind her back.
A Shocking Discovery
In 2020, Dominique’s predatory actions began to unravel when he was caught filming women under their skirts at a supermarket. Security detained him, and an investigation into his phone and computer uncovered a trove of disturbing evidence: thousands of photos and videos documenting men raping Gisèle in their home while she lay unconscious. Once police revealed this to Gisèle, she immediately left her husband.
Gisèle Pelicot’s First Court Appearance
Public attention surged on September 5th, 2024, when Gisèle testified in court for the first time. “It is unbearable,” she said. “I have so much to say that I don’t always know where to start.” Calmly, she explained, “For me, everything collapses. 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 made the courageous decision to reveal her name and demanded the trial be public, determined to ensure that her ordeal was fully exposed.
“I’m speaking for every woman who’s been drugged without knowing it. I’m taking back control of my life to denounce chemical submission. Many women don’t have proof. I have the proof of what I have been through.”
During their investigation of Dominique, now 71, police uncovered messages from a criminal website where he solicited men to sexually abuse his wife. The website has since been shut down. Dominique had meticulously planned the abuse, which started in 2011, for more than a decade.
Mounting Evidence of Predatory Behaviour
He has been charged with multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, and other crimes. As the investigation unfolded, further incriminating evidence surfaced, including nude photographs of his former daughter-in-law, Aurora Pelicot, and footage of another woman he secretly filmed in a changing room. Some of the perpetrators claimed ignorance, insisting they believed the encounters were consensual or that they were unaware Gisèle had been drugged.
Six New Defendants as Trial Expands
In a significant development, on September 23rd, 2024, the court opened hearings against six new defendants as the case entered its fourth week. Dominique, who has confessed to the charges, is accused of orchestrating the abuse, recruiting dozens of strangers to rape his wife over nearly a decade.
One of the men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot said he only went to their house as he ‘had nothing else to do’ on New Year’s Eve.
Father-of-two Andy Rodriguez is one of the 51 men standing trial for the rape of Gisèle Pelicot.
A Complex Web of Accused Men
Dominique, 71, has been on trial since early September, alongside 50 other men aged between 26 and 74. Gisele, now also 71, was greeted with applause from the public as she arrived at the courthouse, where crowds had gathered to support her and witness the proceedings.
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 ultimately cancelled. The other suspects include Andy Rodriguez, 37, Hugues Malago, 39, Husamettin Dogan, 43, Mathieu Dartus, 53, and Fabien Sotton, 39.
Growing Public Outcry and Calls for Justice
As the trial progresses, public outrage has intensified, with many calling for justice for Gisèle and demanding harsher punishments for those involved. The case has come to symbolise the hidden, pervasive nature of domestic abuse and the extreme lengths some abusers will go to control and harm their victims.
The trial is expected to continue until December, with French prosecutors working to build a comprehensive case for justice for Gisèle Pelicot. This case has also sparked a broader conversation in France about the need for stronger protections for domestic abuse survivors and more robust mechanisms for detecting and preventing such prolonged exploitation.
