In a harrowing court case unfolding in France, a 71-year-old man, identified as Dominique Pelicot, is facing charges for arranging the rape of his wife by multiple strangers in their own home. It is alleged that Pelicot utilized an online platform to recruit individuals to engage in sexual acts with his wife, Gisele, who is now 72 years old, while she was unconscious due to being drugged. The prosecution claims that these assaults were recorded by Pelicot.
The accusations detail that Pelicot facilitated the entry of 83 men into his home over the span of nearly ten years to assault his unconscious wife. Further unnerving details emerged during the trial, including that Pelicot had saved a nude image of his daughter on his mobile device.
Gisele reportedly had no awareness of being drugged or the subsequent assaults. The trial is taking place in Avignon, located in the southern part of France, which is in proximity to where the alleged crimes occurred.
The investigation into Pelicot expanded after he was accused by multiple women of covertly recording videos under their skirts in a local supermarket. This led to the discovery of thousands of videos and images cataloging the abuse. Alongside Pelicot, an additional 50 men have been indicted with charges related to raping his wife, each facing potential incarceration of up to 20 years.
The trial was marked by a distressing moment when the judge disclosed the presence of a nude photo of the accused’s daughter on his device, prompting her to leave the courtroom visibly disturbed. She expressed fears of possibly having been drugged and abused herself. This case has drawn considerable public and media scrutiny due to the devastating nature of the crimes and the broad call for justice for the victims involved.
