Man faces trial for drugging and orchestrating wife’s rape by 72 men
Dominique Pélicot allegedly drugged wife for 72 men to assault
A 71-year-old man, Dominique Pélicot, faces trial for allegedly drugging his wife, Gisele Pélicot, and orchestrating her rape by strangers. Authorities claim he laced her food with Lorazepam to sedate her and then invited online acquaintances to assault her, providing them with a list of rules to avoid detection. Police identified 72 men, aged between 26 and 74, responsible for at least 92 sexual assaults.
The rules Pélicot imposed included bans on aftershave and cigarette odours, instructions to clip nails, park cars away from the house, and undress in the kitchen to avoid leaving evidence in the bedroom. He also required them to warm their hands to prevent waking Gisele during the assaults.
The abuse, which allegedly began in 2011, came to light in 2020 when Pélicot was arrested for filming under women’s skirts. During the investigation, police uncovered evidence of the rapes and informed Gisele, who had been unaware of the decade-long abuse.
Dominique Pelicot. Shame and name the rapist. Along with the 70+ men. https://t.co/Vf1U2bGFbW
— 🇵🇸 (@nrhztl4ly4) September 4, 2024
Out of the 51 identified attackers besides Dominique, many faced charges of aggravated or attempted rape. Prosecutors claim Pélicot participated in the rapes, encouraged derogatory language, and filmed the assaults. No financial transactions were reported among the perpetrators, who included a diverse array of professionals such as a company boss, journalist, fire brigade officer, and forklift driver. Their marital statuses varied, with some being married, single, divorced, or family men.
Gisele Pélicot, now 72, waived her right to anonymity to raise public awareness. Choosing a public trial over a closed one, she aims to confront her attackers and shed light on her ordeal. Her lawyer, Antoine Camus, noted that she has no memory of the abuse, having only learned of it in 2020.
Another lawyer mentioned Gisele’s sense of relief from having a public trial, emphasising her readiness to face scrutiny and defend herself. Out of the 51 accused, 20, including Dominique Pélicot, remain in custody, while the rest are out on bail.
What Other Media Are Saying
- NDTV reports that a French pensioner, accused of drugging his wife and recruiting strangers to rape her over a decade, is on trial.(read more)
- The Guardian reports that a French retiree is on trial for recruiting strangers to rape his drugged wife over a decade, with 50 co-defendants including public servants and firefighters, and faces up to 20 years in prison.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What is Dominique Pélicot accused of?
Dominique Pélicot is accused of drugging his wife and enlisting strangers to rape her.
How did the police discover the crimes?
The crimes were discovered during an investigation into Dominique filming under women’s skirts in 2020.
How many men were allegedly involved in the assaults?
72 men were identified as being involved, committing at least 92 assaults.
What steps did Dominique take to avoid suspicion?
He gave attackers a list of rules, including not wearing aftershave, clipping nails, and parking away from the house.
Why did Gisele Pélicot waive her right to anonymity?
She waived her right to raise awareness and ensure the trial is public, not behind closed doors.
