France: A court in Avignon has sentenced Dominique Pelicot, 72, to twenty years in prison for drugging and repeatedly sexually assaulting his then-wife, Gisele Pelicot. He also allowed others to assault her without her knowledge. Fifty other men were tried in connection with the case. While 46 out of 50 men were found guilty of assault, two were convicted on charges of attempt to sexual assault.
For nearly a decade, Domique Pelicot drugged Gisele Pelicot, now his ex-wife, making her unconscious. He invited strangers he found online to assault her. He added tranquilisers in her food and drinks.
The case began in September 2020 when a supermarket security guard caught Dominique secretly filming women’s skirts. The police discovered thousands of images and videos documenting the abuse. The investigators found over 20,000 files on his computer reportedly. This revealed the extent of abuse and the identity of dozens of men involved. Although Domique confessed to the crime, most of the accused claimed that the assaults were consensual. Many of the other accused denied the wrongdoings even when faced with video evidence.
However the court ruled against the sexual offenders. It sentenced them to prison terms ranging from 3 to 15 years. Some sentences were partially suspended. In a shocking revelation, one man drugged and sexually assaulted his own wife with Dominique’s help. He received 12 years in prison.
The trial has sparked a nationwide discussion in France about sexual violence, consent, and the need for stricter laws. Gisele waved her anonymity from the case. She has been praised for her bravery in exposing the crimes with a large banner hanged in City Hall that read, “MERCI GISELE” translated as Thank you, Gisele.
Gisele showed her appreciation and said, “I wanted all of society to be a witness to the debates that took place here. I never regretted making this decision.”
Protestors outside the courthouse closely followed the proceedings and applauded the verdicts.
