A French court has sentenced Dominique Pelicot, 72, to 20 years in prison for drugging and assaulting his ex-wife Gisèle and facilitating abuse by dozens of other men over nearly a decade.
In France’s largest rape trial to date, all 50 co-defendants were found guilty of at least one charge. Their sentences ranged from three to 15 years, with Jean-Pierre Marechal, described as Dominique’s “disciple,” receiving 12 years for similar crimes against his own wife.
Gisèle Pelicot, also 72, made the uncommon decision to waive her anonymity, allowing the trial to be public. She attended most proceedings, facing her husband of 50 years in court. Following the verdict, she described the trial as a “very difficult ordeal” but stood by her decision to make it public “so society could see what was happening.”
The crimes came to light in 2020 when police arrested Dominique Pelicot on an unrelated charge and discovered thousands of videos on his laptop documenting approximately 200 assaults. While investigators identified many perpetrators through the footage, 21 men remained unidentified.
The defendants, who included firefighters, soldiers, and various professionals, mostly came from within a 50km radius of the Pelicots’ village of Mazan. Many claimed they were unaware of Gisèle’s unconscious state, sparking national debate about France’s legal definition of rape, which requires prosecutors to prove intent.
Dominique Pelicot was also convicted of taking indecent images of his daughter Caroline Darian and his daughters-in-law. Caroline, present at the verdict, had previously testified about feeling like a “forgotten victim” due to lack of evidence of her suspected abuse, which Dominique denied.
The Pelicot children expressed disappointment with the “low sentences” given to the co-defendants. Dominique’s lawyer indicated he was “somewhat dazed” by his sentence and would consider appealing within the allowed 10-day window.
The case has highlighted issues of chemical submission in sexual assault and sparked discussions about consent in French law. Gisèle’s public stance has been praised for bringing sexual violence against women into the spotlight, though her lawyer emphasized she does not wish to be considered an icon.
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