Dominique Pelicot, 72, Gisele’s ex-husband of 50 years, admitted to drugging her repeatedly over nearly a decade, enabling dozens of strangers he met online to rape her while she was unconscious. The abuse was filmed by Dominique, who also offered her up for abuse without her knowledge.
A panel of five judges sentenced Dominique to the maximum 20 years in prison, meeting the prosecution’s demands. For the other defendants, the court issued generally shorter sentences than the four-to-18 years requested by prosecutors. In total, 47 men were convicted of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault.
Image: Reuters
Cheers erupted outside the courthouse in Avignon as supporters of Gisele celebrated the verdict. The case has sparked protests across France and ignited a national conversation about consent laws, which currently do not explicitly state that sexual activity must involve consent.
“I am a rapist like the others in this room”
Many defendants denied wrongdoing, claiming they believed the encounters were part of a consensual arrangement orchestrated by the couple. Dominique, however, made no such excuses during his testimony. “I am a rapist like the others in this room,” he admitted.
Gisele, who is also 72, waived her right to anonymity, insisting that the videos of her abuse be shown in court to highlight the horrific nature of the crimes and inspire other victims to come forward. Facing her abusers with unflinching determination, she dismissed any suggestion that she might have been a willing participant.
“I’ve decided not to be ashamed. I’ve done nothing wrong,” Gisele testified. “They are the ones who must be ashamed.”
A family’s heartbreak
The Pelicots’ children – David, Caroline, and Florian – stood beside their mother as the verdict was read, publicly condemning their father and rejecting his pleas for forgiveness.
The case revealed a chilling network of offenders from all walks of life, including lorry drivers, soldiers, firefighters, security guards, and a journalist. The men, aged between their early 20s and 70s, often lived within a 50-kilometre radius of Mazan, the village where the Pelicots resided.
The scale of Dominique’s crimes only came to light in 2020, when he was caught taking illicit photos under women’s skirts in a supermarket. Subsequent police investigations uncovered over 20,000 images and videos documenting years of abuse. Authorities estimate that at least 72 men were involved, though not all could be identified.
Dominique admitted to drugging Gisele with powerful tranquilizers hidden in her food and coffee, which left her unconscious for hours. Gisele initially attributed her memory lapses to early-onset Alzheimer’s or a brain tumour.
“This is not just my battle”
Image: Reuters
Despite the trauma she endured, Gisele has reframed her pain as a call to action, determined to spark systemic change. “It’s not courage. It’s determination to change things,” she said during the trial. “This is not just my battle, but that of all rape victims.”
The trial has become a rallying point for advocates of stricter rape laws in France, galvanising public outrage and solidarity with survivors. Gisele hopes her case will embolden others to break their silence and demand justice.
