Trial underway for French man accused of inviting dozens of men to rape his wife
Global News
Gisèle Pélicot waived her legal right to anonymity at the opening of the trial of her husband Dominique Pélicot and 50 other men.
A woman who was allegedly raped by dozens of strangers after being drugged by her own husband is facing them all at trial, which began in France this week.
Gisèle Pélicot, 72, waived her legal right to anonymity on Monday at the opening of the trial of her husband Dominique Pélicot, 71, and 50 other men.
Speaking in court on Thursday, Gisèle said her “world fell apart” when investigators first informed her of the years of alleged abuse planned and videotaped by Dominique.
“For me, everything was falling apart. Everything I had built up over 50 years,” she told the courtroom, according to The Guardian, adding that she only found the courage in May of this year to watch some of the footage uncovered by police.
“Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me.”
Read on to learn about this case, how Dominique’s alleged crimes were eventually exposed and what to expect from the lengthy trail that is expected to span months.
Prosecutors say the crimes that are now being examined at trial occurred over the course of nearly 10 years, with the first alleged assaults orchestrated by Dominique dating back to 2011.
His illicit operation, where he was alleged to have recruited men online to rape his wife after drugging her with sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication, was discovered in 2020 after he was caught filming under women’s skirts in a shopping centre.
