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Gisele Pelicot's husband found guilty of drugging, inviting strangers to rape her
Dominique Pelicot, 72, was convicted of drugging and allowing strangers to rape his ex-wife, Gisele Pelicot, for nearly a decade.
A French court has convicted Dominique Pelicot, 72, of drugging his ex-wife, Gisele Pelicot, for nearly a decade, as well as inviting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was unconscious. The court's verdict was delivered on Thursday, but the sentencing has been delayed.
Prosecutors are seeking a 20-year prison term for Pelicot and sentences ranging from four to 18 years for the 50 other defendants accused of raping Gisele Pelicot while she was comatose.
During the three-month trial, Pelicot pleaded guilty and apologized to his family. However, many of his co-defendants denied the rape charges, claiming they thought they were participating in a consensual sex game orchestrated by the couple. Pelicot denied misleading these men, stating they knew Gisele was unconscious and unaware of their actions.
The shocking case
Dominique Pelicot, admitted that for years he knocked his then wife of 50 years out with drugs so that he and strangers he recruited online could abuse her while he filmed the assaults.
The appalling ordeal inflicted over nearly a decade on Gisele Pelicot, now a 72-year-old grandmother, in what she thought was a loving marriage and her courage during the bruising and stunning trial have transformed the retired power company worker into a feminist hero of the nation.
Stretching over more than three months, the trial galvanized campaigners against sexual violence and spurred calls for tougher measures to stamp out rape culture.
Dominique Pelicot and 49 other men were tried in the southern French city of Avignon for aggravated rape and attempted rape and face up to 20 years imprisonment if convicted.
Gisele Pelicot, 72, bravely waived her right to anonymity and demanded that the disturbing videos of the abuse be shown in court. Her goal was to encourage other women to speak out against similar experiences. The trial has triggered protest rallies around France in support of Gisele, and spurred soul searching, including a debate on whether to update France's rape law, which at present makes no mention that sex should involve consent.
Throughout the trial, Gisele Pelicot displayed remarkable courage, staring down her abusers and refuting claims that she was a willing participant. "I've decided not to be ashamed, I've done nothing wrong," she testified. “They are the ones who must be ashamed”
