In the Gisèle Pelicot rape trial, the main defendant was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He drugged his then-wife and offered to rape her. All other defendants were also found guilty.
The main defendant in the abuse trial in Avignon has been found guilty of aggravated rape. He was sentenced to the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Dominique Pelicot repeatedly drugged his then-wife Gisèle for almost ten years, abused him and had him raped by dozens of strangers. He confessed to the crimes in court. The verdict against the 72-year-old is not yet final.
Sentences against 50 other men
In addition to the main defendants, 50 other men were on trial in the mammoth trial, most of them on charges of rape. The court found one of them guilty of attempted rape, and two were charged with sexual violence, according to the dpa news agency. The court found everyone else guilty of aggravated rape. The sentence is to be announced today.
Co-prosecutor Antoine Camus said: “Everyone contributed to this monstrosity, to this martyrdom of this woman, to their own extent, at their level.”
Arrested in 2020
Gisèle Pelicot's years of sexual abuse were uncovered by chance four years ago. Dominique Pelicot was arrested in September 2020 after filming women up their skirts in the supermarket. Police officers examined the man's computer. He documented the abuse of one of his wives in hundreds of photos and videos. Gisèle herself did not notice the attacks because of the strong medication that her husband at the time had secretly told her to take. She believes that she has suffered around 200 rapes. Investigators also suspect a dozen other perpetrators, but they have not been identified.
The proceedings, which have been ongoing since September, have shaken up France. In an unusual move, Gisèle Pelicot decided not to let the trial take place behind closed doors. They have nothing to blame themselves for, she emphasized. In just a few weeks, Pelicot became a role model and feminist icon. They wanted other abused women to gain courage from them, they said in court. “I want them to no longer feel shame. It’s not us who should be ashamed, it’s them.”
