Gisèle Pelicot rape trial: Ex-husband Dominique jailed for 20 years
Gisèle Pelicot: "I've never looked back on my choice to make the trial open to the public."
Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman who survived sexual assault, has seen her ex-husband sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and raping her. He also encouraged numerous strangers to participate in the abuse over a span of almost ten years.
Dominique Pelicot, 72, was convicted on all counts by a judge in Avignon, located in the south of France. He broke down in tears in court when he received the maximum sentence.
He was facing trial alongside 50 other individuals, all of whom were convicted of at least one offense, even though their sentences ended up being shorter than what the prosecutors had sought.
Ms. Pelicot and her kids appeared indifferent as the verdicts were announced, occasionally stealing glances at the accused and leaning their heads against the wall.
The verdicts mark the conclusion of the largest rape trial in France's history, a case that has captivated and stunned both the nation and the world over the past three months.
On Thursday morning, the police closed the road in front of the courthouse to make room for the many individuals who arrived to show their support for Ms. Pelicot.
A big sign that said "Thank you, Gisèle" was displayed on a wall right in front of the entrance.
Below, a group of people gathered and shouted "rapist, we see you" while the defendants arrived one by one before the trial began.
After the verdicts were announced, Ms. Pelicot stated outside the courtroom that the trial had been a "challenging experience."
For the first time, her teenage grandson stood beside her, with his arm draped over her shoulder, while she spoke to the press.
Her voice wavered just a bit when she expressed that she has "never regretted" choosing to make the trial public, emphasizing that it was important for society to witness what was taking place.
The 72-year-old's choice to give up her automatic right to remain anonymous was quite unusual.
She was present at nearly every day of the trial, sitting in the same courtroom as her husband of 50 years, from whom she is now divorced.
French and international media closely monitored the case, and on Thursday, hundreds of reporters filled the courtroom.
While Ms. Pelicot addressed the crowd, hundreds of supporters shouted her name and sang songs celebrating feminism.
She expressed her deep gratitude to her supporters and mentioned that she believes in a brighter future where men and women can coexist with respect for each other.
Fans gathered outside the courthouse, carrying signs that said "shame changes sides," referencing a comment made by Gisèle during the proceedings.
Ms. Pelicot's former spouse, Dominique Pelicot, who had previously admitted to his offenses, was convicted of serious rape.
He was also convicted of trying to commit aggravated rape against the wife of one of his fellow defendants, Jean-Pierre Maréchal.
Maréchal, referred to as Dominique's "follower," subjected his own wife to years of drugging and assault, even encouraging Dominique to follow his example. He has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Dominique Pelicot was convicted for capturing inappropriate photos of his daughter, Caroline Darian, as well as his daughters-in-law, Aurore and Celine.
Caroline, who appeared in court on Thursday, had previously expressed during the trial that she felt like a "forgotten victim." Unlike her mother’s situation, there are no documented instances of the abuse she believes she suffered.
Dominique rejected the accusations of drugging and mistreating his daughter.
In November, she yelled at him in court, "I will never visit you, and you'll end up dying alone, just like a dog."
Following the announcement of the verdict, Dominique Pelicot's attorney mentioned that her client was "a bit stunned" by the ruling and would think about whether to file an appeal. He has a period of 10 days to make that decision.
Dominique Pelicot faced charges alongside 50 other individuals, with 46 being convicted of rape, two for attempted rape, and two for sexual assault.
Many of them have already served years in prison after being arrested during the police's initial probe in 2021, so they will be released fairly soon.
The majority of the men facing charges claimed that their actions did not constitute rape.
They claimed that they weren't aware Ms. Pelicot was unconscious, which led them to believe they weren't "aware" that they were assaulting her. This argument has ignited a countrywide conversation about the legal definition of rape in France.
The prison sentences for the defendants vary from three to fifteen years.
In a comment to the AFP news agency, the Pelicot siblings expressed their "disappointment" with the "lenient sentences."
From 2011 for nearly ten years, Dominique Pelicot repeatedly drugged his former wife and assaulted her. He also lured many men online to engage in sexual acts with her while she was incapacitated.
His offenses came to light in 2020, when authorities apprehended him for a different accusation involving secretly recording under women's skirts in a grocery store.
Authorities confiscated his electronic devices and discovered thousands of video recordings on his laptop, which contained evidence of approximately 200 sexual assaults.
Detectives utilized the footage to locate his accomplices, but they were unable to recognize 21 other individuals.
In 2020, Dominique Pelicot acknowledged the allegations against him.
Image credit: Getty Images
Caroline Darian, the daughter of the couple, arrived at the courthouse, accompanied by her two brothers.
The trial ignited a debate over the possibility of incorporating consent into France's legal definition of rape, similar to the approach taken by other European nations.
In France, the legal definition of rape encompasses "any sexual penetration act enforced on someone through violence, coercion, intimidation, or unexpected actions." This means that prosecutors are required to demonstrate the offender's intention to commit rape.
Several of the accused contended that they were unaware that Ms. Pelicot had not given her consent. They asserted that Dominique Pelicot had deceived them and that they thought they were heading to the couple's home for a threesome, which included a scenario where the woman would be asleep.
The trial also highlighted the problem of chemical submission, which refers to sexual assault facilitated by drugs.
The majority of the 50 men were from towns and villages located within a 50-kilometer (30-mile) distance from the Pelicots' home village of Mazan.
The group consisted of firefighters, truck drivers, soldiers, a reporter, and a DJ. Defense attorneys referred to them as “regular folks,” which led to them being called Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde, meaning Mr. Everyman.
The trial has highlighted the issue of sexual violence against women in France, with many people commending Ms. Pelicot for her courage in bringing the case to the forefront.
She had previously expressed her commitment to shifting the stigma from being associated with the victim to being associated with the perpetrator. This sentiment has been echoed by her advocates.
However, Ms. Pelicot has openly stated that beneath her strong exterior "is a landscape of devastation," and even though she has received a great deal of recognition for her achievements, she considers herself an unwilling hero.
"She continually asserts, 'I'm just like anyone else' – she doesn’t wish to be viewed as a symbol," her attorney Stéphane Babonneau shared with the BBC.
"Women possess an inner strength that they may not fully recognize, and it's important for them to have faith in themselves. That's the essence of her message."
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