The main defendant in the abuse trial in Avignon has been found guilty of aggravated rape. The sentence against him is still pending. Dominique Pelicot repeatedly drugged his then-wife Gisèle for almost ten years, abused him and had him raped by dozens of strangers.
The mammoth trial involving years of abuse of Gisèle Pelicot in southern France with 51 defendants was coming to an end.
Pelicot's ex-husband had repeatedly drugged his then-wife for almost ten years, killed her and offered her to strangers to rape, as he confessed in court. He faces 20 years in prison.
Mass rape came to light by accident
Gisèle Pelicot may have suffered around 200 rapes in this way, as she stated in court. Her husband recorded the acts in hundreds of videos and photos. Investigators suspect there are a dozen other perpetrators, but they have not been identified.
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© Clement Mahoudeau/AFP/dpa
Pelicot was unaware of the years of sexual assault because of the strong medication that her then-husband mixed into her food. The crimes only came to light when Dominique Pelicot was arrested in September 2020 for filming women up their skirts in the supermarket. Investigators then found the abuse images on him.
Many defendants want acquittal
In addition to the ex-husband, 50 men are on trial. They were said to have been between 21 and 68 years old at the time of the crime. The public prosecutor's office only accused one of them of sexual violence and demanded four years in prison. She accused the remaining 49 years of rape and called for prison sentences of between 10 and 18 years.
The defendants, on the other hand, paint a different picture. Only about a dozen have acknowledged the allegations. Some admitted that they had penetrated Gisèle Pelicot without her consent, but they themselves pointed out that it was a case of rape – for example because her husband at the time had accepted it.
Others said in court that they were under their husband's influence. Some went so far as to claim that they were raped against their will or involuntarily. More than half of the defendants had the defense demand acquittal.
Women's rights group wants exemplary judgment
The local feminist organization “Les Amazones d'Avignon”, however, has a different outcome in mind. The verdict should be exemplary, demands the group's chairwoman, Blandine Deverlanges, in an interview with the German Press Agency. There should never be excuses for rapists again.
The lawyers for the co-plaintiffs are also urgently calling for the defendants to be held accountable. “Everyone understood, at least when they left this house of horrors, that others came before them and others would follow,” said lawyer Antoine Camus. “Everyone contributed to this monstrosity, to this woman’s martyrdom, to their own extent, at their level.” Criminal law could not fully capture the seriousness of the crimes.
The procedure has sparked debates in France
Autumn has shaken up France. Dozens of people came every day to attend the trial and support Gisèle Pelicot. The procedure has also reopened the debate about “yes means yes”. A change in criminal law to include explicit consent in sexual acts could be coming.
Abuse victim Gisèle Pelicot was celebrated for her courageous and decisive actions and has become a feminist role model in France. They decided to let the trial take place publicly, also to encourage other abused women. “I will make sure they don’t feel shame anymore. It’s not us who should be ashamed, it’s them.” (dpa)
