AVIGNON, France — Dominique Pelicot has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drugging and repeatedly raping his then-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, while inviting dozens of men to abuse her over nearly a decade.
The case, tried in the French city of Avignon, also saw convictions for 50 co-defendants. Of those, 46 were found guilty of rape, two of attempted rape, and two of sexual assault.
A Decade of Abuse
Between 2011 and 2020, Dominique Pelicot secretly drugged Gisèle, lacing her food and drinks with sedatives and tranquilising drugs.
The abuse took place in the couple’s home in Mazan, where Pelicot invited strangers, whom he recruited online, to rape his unconscious wife.
For years, Gisèle endured memory loss and blackouts, unaware of what was happening to her.
It wasn’t until Pelicot was arrested in 2020 for voyeuristic photography under women’s skirts at a supermarket that police uncovered the full extent of his crimes.
“I thought we were a close couple,” Gisèle told the court. “Instead, I was sacrificed on the altar of vice.”
Turning Shame Into Accountability
Gisèle, now 72, waived her right to anonymity, a decision she described as a way to “make shame swap sides” from victim to perpetrator.
Her bravery in coming forward has turned her into a symbol of resilience and justice for survivors of sexual violence.
“I lost 10 years of my life,” Gisèle said during the trial. “But I refuse to lose my voice.”
Convictions and Sentences
Dominique Pelicot admitted to all charges against him, including the attempted aggravated rape of Cillia Marechal, the wife of one of his co-defendants, Jean-Pierre Marechal.
Marechal, 63, was convicted of drugging and raping his wife and facilitating her abuse by Pelicot.
Pelicot was further convicted of taking indecent images of his daughter and daughters-in-law.
The sentences for the other defendants ranged from three to 20 years, depending on their level of involvement.
Prosecutors had called for maximum sentences for aggravated rape, which carries a 20-year penalty under French law.
Systemic Implications
This case has sparked nationwide conversations about France’s legal framework for addressing sexual violence, particularly the lack of explicit consent requirements in its rape laws.
Advocates argue that the case underscores the need for reform, aligning France’s laws with those in other European countries that enshrine consent as the cornerstone of sexual violence legislation.
“This case has exposed systemic gaps in how we address consent and power dynamics,” said a representative of a women’s rights organisation.
Testimony of a Shattered Family
During the trial, Pelicot apologised to his ex-wife and children, admitting his crimes: “I am a rapist. I acknowledge all the facts in their entirety.” However, the Pelicot family remains deeply fractured.
“This is not just about a single man’s actions but a culture that failed to protect my mother and others like her,” said one of Gisèle’s children during the trial.
A Notorious Network of Abuse
Over 50 men, ranging from 27 to 74 years old, were involved in the systematic abuse of Gisèle.
Many were recruited through the now-banned French website Coco.fr.
The defendants included individuals from a variety of professions, such as firefighters, lorry drivers, and IT specialists, many of whom denied their actions constituted rape.
The trial revealed how Pelicot’s online postings lured local men to the Pelicots’ home, framing the assaults as consensual encounters despite Gisèle’s incapacitation.
A Turning Point for Justice
The verdicts mark a watershed moment in France’s legal history, shedding light on the horrifying realities of systemic abuse and the urgent need for legal reform.
As the convicted men consider appeals, Gisèle has vowed to continue advocating for survivors of sexual violence, ensuring her story ignites meaningful change.
“Justice has spoken,” Gisèle said outside the court. “But this is just the beginning of the fight.”
