Married to a monster: How Gisele Pelicot went from victim to feminist hero

The crime is so horrific and shocking that it’s hard to describe. So, instead of words, people express their emotions with applause outside the courtroom.

Notice: This article includes accounts of sexual abuse.

Since September, crowds have gathered along the streets of Avignon, applauding as Gisele Pelicot passes by. This silent display of encouragement is for the 72-year-old woman at the heart of a high-profile trial concerning mass rape, which has reverberated throughout France.

It conveys that she, rather than the attackers, is in control. This sentiment reflects Gisele's call to action that "shame should be redirected."

For the past four months, she has been present for the trial of her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, who has confessed to drugging and assaulting her for nearly ten years, as well as encouraging other men to join in.

Fifty individuals faced allegations of rape and sexual assault, but most of them refuted the claims.

Stay updated: Live coverage of the Pelicot trial sentencing event.

Now, when Gisele enters the courtroom, she carries herself confidently, looking straight ahead. In the past, she frequently concealed her face behind sunglasses.

Her legal team indicated that taking off the glasses symbolized more than just a seasonal shift. It represented a turning point where she no longer felt the necessity to shield herself or conceal her gaze.

After choosing to give up her right to remain anonymous so that the trial could be open to the public, Gisele's image has become one of the most recognizable of the year. Her face has been spray-painted on walls, featured on signs at protests, and showcased on the cover of the German edition of Vogue magazine.

This marks a significant change from the lifestyle the mother of three experienced merely four years ago.

A creature lurking in the home

At the beginning of 2020, Gisele Pelicot and her husband Dominique resided in the charming Provencal village of Mazan. Their light yellow bungalow was tucked away in a peaceful cul-de-sac.

This is where the couple settled down for their retirement after relocating from Paris in 2013. Gisele recalls this period fondly. Her friends and family appreciated Dominique, and together they had seven grandchildren.

When they first crossed paths at the age of 19, Dominique described it as "love at first sight." Gisele thought he was "the ideal partner."

On September 12, 2020, everything in her life started to fall apart.

A security guard at a shopping mall noticed Dominique Pelicot attempting to record videos under women’s skirts with a phone concealed in a bag.

He was previously arrested for a similar upskirting incident close to Paris in 2010. At that time, he was slapped with a €100 fine, but he kept it under wraps.

During this incident, the police confiscated Dominique's phones, computer, and storage devices, revealing a highly organized collection of 20,000 images and videos. Many of these featured various men engaging in sexual acts with a woman who seemed to be unconscious.

The woman was his spouse, Gisele. The officers pondered whether this was a mutual agreement or if they had uncovered signs of long-term mistreatment. Two months later, they had gathered enough evidence to present their case.

Ultimately, one of France's most notorious sexual offenders was apprehended unexpectedly.

For Gisele, the truths discovered by the detectives would expose that her marriage was a facade and her seemingly perfect home concealed disturbing realities.

Her ideal partner turned out to be a cunning villain who had betrayed and hurt her in ways she could never have imagined.

When Gisele was summoned to speak with the police in November 2020, she assumed it was regarding the upskirting accusations that she was already aware of.

When her husband walked out the door to face questioning, she didn’t realize it would be the final time she would see him as a free person.

Once it was established that she was Dominique Pelicot's wife, and following her comments to the police calling him a "great guy," the detectives revealed that they had discovered thousands of pictures and videos. They proceeded to show her a photo, followed by another, and then a third one.

"I pleaded with him to stop. It was too much to bear. I lay there motionless in my bed, and a man was assaulting me. My entire life shattered," Gisele later recounted to the jury.

She referred to the pictures as "a nightmare scenario."

For nearly ten years, Dominique orchestrated numerous men to visit his home and engage in sexual activities with his unconscious wife, documenting the encounters on video to satisfy his personal desires.

"I was offered up to the gods of wrongdoing," she remarked. "They treated me like a discarded doll, nothing more than a piece of trash."

Dominique admitted to drugging and assaulting Gisele and even brought around 70 men to have sexual relations with his unconscious wife. Out of those, fifty were identified and taken into custody.

At the beginning of the trial in September, Dominique stated, "I stand by my claim that I am a rapist, just like everyone else here. They were all aware of her situation before arriving; they knew everything and can't deny it."

He connected with many of the men through a French swingers site under the email handle "Fetish45." The level of planning was meticulous and unsettling. In a chat room named "Without her knowledge," he enlisted other men.

Dominique insisted that they refrain from smoking or using any scented products and directed them to park a bit further away. The usual defense was that Dominique had informed the co-defendants they were participating in a couple's fantasy and that Gisele had agreed to it.

In many instances, the men did not use condoms. Medical professional Anne Martinat informed the court that Gisele was "extremely fortunate not to have contracted HIV, syphilis, or hepatitis," but she did end up with four different sexually transmitted infections.

Gisele expressed to the jury, "I feel deeply hurt and violated. I feel let down by this man whom I believed I would share my life with forever."

She discussed her experience of being drugged and mentioned that Dominique often took on the role of cooking while she cared for their small grandchildren.

She recounted a night when she went to bed early after enjoying a dinner prepared by Dominique, who then surprised her with ice cream. "It was my favorite flavor—raspberry and mango sorbet. I thought to myself, 'Wow, I'm really fortunate to have a husband who cares for me like this.'"

The court was informed that Dominique had tranquilized Gisele by hiding drugs in her food or beverages.

"I enjoyed my dinner followed by some ice cream, and then the next thing I knew, I was waking up in my pajamas the next morning. I often felt a bit worn out, but I figured it was just because I had done a lot of walking the day before."

For many years, Gisele was subjected to being drugged and assaulted without her consent, enduring this traumatic experience as many as 100 times, all while being unaware of what was happening to her.

Laure Chabaud, the prosecutor, stated that Dominique was given a prescription for Temesta, a medication used to treat anxiety, by his doctor.

In 2011, while they were living in Paris, he started to test the effects of drugs on Gisele, taking it a step further to assault her. Over time, he figured out the correct amounts to use and managed to get his hands on more than 700 pills from the pharmacy.

Over the next two years, he sexually assaulted his drugged wife while recording the acts. After relocating to Mazan, he intensified his behavior and started inviting others to participate.

They move around us.

The shocking information has raised many questions: how could someone be capable of such actions, and why did no one seem to see what was happening?

We want it to be straightforward to recognize monsters, but as Gisele explained in court, "The typical profile of a rapist can seem ordinary; they could be a friend or even a family member."

Dominique's attorney, Beatrice Zavarr, proposed that there are "two sides" to him: one being a devoted family man and the other exhibiting some troubling behavior.

"Individuals aren't inherently twisted; they develop those tendencies over time," she remarked, echoing her client's sentiments and implying that a tough upbringing had harmed his mental state, resulting in a fractured identity.

Dominique's perfect image as a devoted family man kept everyone in the dark.

When Gisele began to have memory issues and blackouts as a result of the drugs, fearing she might have Alzheimer’s, he was there for her. When she faced gynecological problems stemming from the sexual assaults he had arranged, he was by her side at the doctor's office, holding her hand for support.

However, in private—stored in a folder labeled "abuse"—he was gathering videos of violent acts. In certain clips, his voice could be heard instructing the men on how to behave towards his unconscious wife.

The court also learned that he assisted a person referred to as Jean Pierre M in learning how to drug and assault his own wife.

Kerry Daynes, a prominent forensic psychologist, shared with Sky News that the difference between Dominique's outward image and his deviant actions is not unexpected.

"Sexual offenders are skilled at separating different aspects of their lives," she explained, describing the notion of him having a split personality as "completely absurd."

"This suggests that there might be a hidden mental health issue at play. That's not the case. He is, plain and simple, a sexual predator who despises women and seeks to harm and demean them."

Dominique's unlawful activities didn't begin with Gisele. While testifying, he mentioned that at the age of 14, he was coerced into taking part in a sexual assault, an experience he described as having created a significant emotional trauma.

"The dream I awkwardly brought back to life is kind of like that," he mentioned.

His DNA was linked to blood discovered at the location of a woman's attempted rape in Paris back in 1999. Once detectives highlighted the evidence connecting him to the crime, he confessed to being present at the scene.

He has faced allegations of raping and murdering a 23-year-old woman in Paris back in 1991, but he has refuted these claims.

The court heard that he secretly recorded his sons' wives—one of whom was expecting—and posted their nude images on the internet.

He also captured images of his grown daughter, Caroline, while she was sleeping and partly undressed. She is now filled with fear that he may have drugged and harmed her, despite his consistent denials of these accusations in court.

Kerry Daynes suggested that Dominique might have performed "mental gymnastics" to rationalize his actions. He could have thought, "If I'm disrespecting Gisele, at least I'm not disrespecting other women, or I’m just keeping it within my circle."

She remarked, "This is the way sex offenders function. They aren't the frightening figures hiding in dark corners. Instead, they are the men we live and interact with every day."

Taking into account the influence of Dominique's difficult upbringing, Daynes noted that "these experiences clearly had an effect on him" – however, "it's inaccurate to claim that there is a straightforward cause-and-effect relationship in this case."

If that were true, then everyone who experienced childhood sexual abuse and trauma would go on to hurt others, but that's simply not how it happens.

Regarding the other 50 individuals convicted after the trial, there aren't any clear connections among them, aside from the fact that the majority reside within 30 miles of the Pelicots' residence.

The individuals span in age from their late twenties to their mid-seventies. Some have experienced challenging childhoods, including growing up in tough environments, facing issues with drugs or alcohol, or suffering abuse. Others have established families of their own now. The majority are employed, with careers that include roles such as a journalist, truck drivers, military personnel, a nurse, firefighters, and a DJ.

They've been referred to as "Mr. Everybody." They are the dads, husbands, boyfriends, and brothers who are part of our everyday lives.

Most of the accused rejected the allegations, claiming they were influenced or coerced. They maintained that there was consent and insisted that they never "intended" to perpetrate rape, asserting that their actions did not constitute rape.

The involvement of so many unrelated men has raised concerns about whether these crimes stem from deep-seated issues within French society.

By revealing her identity, Gisele has compelled France to confront its issues surrounding rape culture. In court, she stated, "I hope that all survivors of rape can look at this and think, 'If Mrs. Pelicot can speak out, so can we'... When you experience rape, you often feel a sense of shame, but it's not the victims who should feel this way; it's those who perpetrate the crime."

Certain defense attorneys have attempted to weaken that argument by questioning Gisele about whether an affair motivated Dominique to pursue revenge, a suggestion that both of them denied.

In a different instance, Guillaume de Palma, an attorney representing several defendants, remarked, “there’s rape, and then there’s rape,” suggesting that a man who did not realize he was committing rape shouldn't be held accountable for the offense.

"When you catch a glimpse of a woman peacefully sleeping on her bed, don't you ever pause and think, 'Is something off about this situation?'" Gisele responded fiercely from the witness stand.

"Non-consensual sexual assault is still assault," she stated.

That straightforward statement has evolved into a rallying cry for women throughout France, drawing tens of thousands of people to protests against sexual violence.

In Paris, there was Miranda, who mentioned that France has issues with sexism and misogyny. However, she also noted that people are beginning to raise their voices about it.

Numerous demonstrators are calling for the inclusion of consent in France's legal definition of rape. Currently, the law describes rape as "sexual penetration carried out against another individual through violence, coercion, intimidation, or unexpected actions."

Gisele expressed, "I often hear people, both women and men, tell me, 'You are really courageous.' But I believe it's not about bravery; it's about the will and resolve to make a difference in society. This fight isn't just mine; it belongs to all survivors of sexual assault."

Her story has already inspired Latika, a survivor of domestic abuse, whose actual name we are keeping private for her protection.

She found out that her former husband had been putting drugs in her evening tea. He would wait until she was unconscious and then assault her. However, one night, the tea spilled, and she didn't consume the full amount.

"It began with physical abuse, then he made me feel small and embarrassed me, and eventually, he cut me off from everyone," she recounted.

In the dead of night, I suddenly woke to find him on top of me, assaulting me. As he was about to reach the end, I was in a state of disbelief and frozen in fear. I couldn't comprehend what was happening to me.

When she went to the police to report the violence and assaults, she mentioned that they attempted to dissuade her from adding the rape claim, arguing that she lacked evidence.

For the past two years, she has been undergoing therapy at the Lucky Horse center, which offers assistance to survivors of domestic abuse. This center is located on the outskirts of Mazan, just a few minutes away from the Pelicots' previous home.

Upon learning about Gisele's story, a group of women came together to hold a silent march in her name. Gisele later met with them to express her gratitude.

Latika expresses that her bravery has given her strength: "She has supported women in discovering their voices and sharing their experiences without feeling embarrassed."

A 'broken woman' - now a champion

Didier Migaud, France's recently appointed justice minister, has expressed his support for revising the law, a sentiment echoed by President Emmanuel Macron. This comes on the heels of France's decision to reject the addition of a consent-based definition of rape in a European directive earlier this year.

Last month, the government introduced new initiatives aimed at addressing violence against women. These initiatives focus on raising awareness about the use of drugs in sexual assaults. Among the updates are state-funded testing kits, the option to report incidents at a larger number of hospitals, and enhanced emergency support services.

"In recent months, the French people have been truly inspired by the remarkable bravery of Gisele Pelicot," stated former Prime Minister Michel Barnier while delivering the news.

Today, Dominique Pelicot, infamously known as the Monster of Mazan, has received a guilty verdict for aggravated rape and has been sentenced to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He was also convicted of attempting to sexually assault the wife of one of his co-defendants and for taking inappropriate photos of his own daughter and daughters-in-law.

The remaining 50 individuals who were tried alongside Pelicot have received a combined prison sentence of 421 years.

The court convicted 46 men of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault.

So far, there are around 30 other men captured in the videos who still haven't been identified. However, as time passes, it won’t be the names of the rapists that people will remember. They won’t be the ones who maintain the power.

The responsibility rests with Gisele. When people seek change, it is her name that will be spoken. She is the figure that other victims will remember as they muster their bravery.

The 72-year-old woman has shared that she is consulting with a psychologist and enjoys taking long walks in her effort to regain what was taken from her. She is uncertain if she will ever fully heal.

"I feel like a broken woman," she once expressed.

However, for many people in France, she represents much more than that. She is seen as the woman who confronted the shame associated with sexual assault, a survivor, and a symbol of bravery.

If you're experiencing emotional pain or having thoughts of suicide, you can reach out for support from Samaritans at 116 123 or by emailing [email protected] if you're in the UK. For those in the US, you can contact your local Samaritans branch or call 1 (800) 273-TALK for assistance.

If you believe you are facing domestic abuse, you can reach out to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline by calling 0808 2000 247.

You can reach out to the Rape Crisis National Helpline by calling 0808 802 9999.