French trial begins for 51 men accused of raping woman

Yesterday, as British tourists admired the sacred sites of Avignon, an elderly woman endured a harrowing experience in a stifling French trial beside the historic courtroom ramparts.

For four agonising years, since the police raided her home, Gisele Pelicot has grappled with a horrifying reality. Her husband, Dominique, had been drugging her with sleeping pills and inviting strangers to allegedly assault her as she lay unconscious, recording the violations on video.

This shocking discovery led her to a severe mental breakdown, pushing her to the edge of suicide.

Yesterday, for the first time, she faced the 50 men accused of violating her while she was asleep in a French trial. The courtroom summoned each man to state his name, age, and occupation. Mme Pelicot, a 71-year-old grandmother, saw a range of professions among the accused, from restaurateurs to firemen, aged between 26 and 72.

She had not seen her husband since his arrest in November 2020. As Dominique Pelicot appeared in the dock, she scrutinised him intently. Her only comment to her lawyer, Antoine Camus, was her surprise at how much he had aged during his four years in remand.

Before the French trial, M. Camus mentioned her immense apprehension about confronting her husband and hearing details of the assaults she unknowingly suffered. Police found Dominique had filmed his wife being raped 90 times between 2011 and 2020. The videos led to the arrest of 50 men; 22 more remain unidentified.

M. Camus described the family’s devastation, stating they were ready to face the ordeal but acknowledged its difficulty. Mme Pelicot would learn the full extent of what happened to her over the next few months.

The trial, expected to last until Christmas, is a significant legal event in France. With 51 men, including Dominique, accused of aggravated rape, the Vaucluse departmental criminal court has never tried so many defendants together. The courtroom had to accommodate 18 men in a Perspex-screened dock and 32 out on bail, with one failing to appear.

This case is the first in France where a husband allegedly drugged his wife for others to assault and the first to spotlight the use of chemicals in such crimes. It also highlights the role of internet chatrooms like the one Dominique used to recruit the alleged rapists and post videos.

Mme Pelicot chose an open hearing, waiving her right to anonymity, hoping to raise awareness and prevent such crimes. Her lawyer stated she wanted the public to know and ensure the shame stayed with the accused, not her.

As the 50 accused identified themselves, they appeared to be a cross-section of provincial Frenchmen. Defence lawyer Louis-Alain Lemaire, representing four defendants, claimed they did not intend to rape and were unaware of Dominique’s plans. Guillame de Palma, representing six others, echoed this, stating his clients were unaware of the trap set for them.

A gardener in his 60s, one of the accused, claimed he left quickly after realising what was happening but admitted to sexually assaulting Mme Pelicot. M. Camus dismissed these excuses, emphasising the severity of their actions.

Dominique and Gisele Pelicot seemed respectable, living a quiet life in a Provencal village after retiring from Paris. However, psychological experts will portray Dominique as a perverse personality who enjoyed debasing his wife.

He allegedly drugged her several times a month, then called men from a chatroom to assault her. He instructed them to avoid detection, including parking away from the house and not leaving any traces.

It remains uncertain whether the videos will be shown during the French trial. Mme Pelicot’s health suffered due to the repeated drugging, and she experienced unexplained gynaecological issues. She might never have known the extent of the abuse if not for Dominique’s arrest in 2020 for taking inappropriate photos of women in a supermarket. Police found the videos during their search.

Dominique has cooperated with investigators, explaining his actions. His lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, remarked that the court’s task is to uncover why he found pleasure in watching his wife being assaulted.

Over the next few months, Mme Pelicot will learn the full extent of her husband’s betrayal. The hope remains that she can endure the inevitable anguish that comes with the truth.