The Horrifying Case of Gisele Pelicot: A Decade of Drugging and Rape Uncovered in France

In a case that has shocked France and made international headlines, 72-year-old Gisèle Pélicot bravely took the stand in September 2024 to testify against her husband of 50 years and dozens of other men accused of repeatedly raping her while she was unconscious.

A Supermarket Incident Leads to a Shocking Discovery

The case first came to light in September 2020, when 71-year-old Dominique Pélicot was caught filming up women's skirts at a supermarket in Carpentras, a town in southeastern France. What initially seemed like an isolated incident of voyeurism quickly unraveled into something far more sinister as police began investigating Pélicot's electronic devices.

On his computer, investigators discovered a folder ominously labeled "abuse." Inside were hundreds of photos and videos documenting years of sexual assaults against an unconscious woman - Pélicot's own wife, Gisèle. The evidence showed that between 2011 and 2020, Dominique Pélicot had been secretly drugging his wife and inviting strangers into their home to rape her while she was incapacitated.

"The police saved my life by investigating Mister Pélicot's computer," Gisèle Pélicot later told the court, referring to her husband by only his last name.

A Decade of Unexplained Health Issues

For years, Gisèle Pélicot had been experiencing mysterious health problems and memory lapses that left her fearing she was developing Alzheimer's disease. She suffered from unexplained weight loss, hair loss, and periods of time she couldn't account for.

"For me, everything is falling apart. Everything I have built up over 50 years," Gisèle Pélicot testified, recounting how her world shattered when police revealed the truth in November 2020.

Investigators invited Gisèle Pélicot to the police station, where they showed her disturbing images recovered from her husband's computer. "I'm lying motionless on the bed, being raped," she recalled of seeing the photos for the first time. "Frankly, these are scenes of horror for me."

The realization that her own husband of five decades - a man she had described to police as a "super guy" - was behind her ongoing abuse and health issues was devastating. "They treat me like a rag doll," she told the judges, adding that she had only worked up the courage to watch the video footage herself in May 2024.

A Meticulous and Disturbing Operation

As the investigation unfolded, the scale and organization of Dominique Pélicot's crimes became clear. On his computer, police found evidence that he had been soliciting men on a now-defunct website called Coco to participate in assaulting his unconscious wife.

Pélicot gave the men detailed instructions, including not to wear perfume or smoke before coming over, to avoid detection. They were told to remove their clothes in the kitchen and wait silently, sometimes for up to 90 minutes, while the drugs Pelicot secretly gave his wife took full effect.

Toxicology reports showed Pélicot had been using a combination of powerful sedatives on Gisèle, including anti-anxiety medications and hypnotics. The cocktail of drugs left her completely unaware and unable to resist or remember the assaults.

"Don't talk to me about sex scenes. These are rape scenes," Gisèle forcefully told the court, emphasizing that she had never practiced swinging or any other form of non-monogamous sex. "I was never complicit and never pretended to be asleep."

Dozens of Men Identified and Charged

Through painstaking analysis of the photos and videos on Pélicot's devices, investigators were ultimately able to identify 72 men who had participated in assaulting Gisèle over the years. Of those, 51 were eventually charged and brought to trial alongside Dominique Pelicot.

The accused range in age from 26 to 74 and come from diverse backgrounds - including firefighters, journalists, soldiers, and more. Many are married with families of their own.

Gisèle was shocked to recognize one of the men as someone she knew from town. "I saw him now and then in the bakery, I would say hello, I never thought he'd come and rape me," she testified.

In total, investigators documented around 200 instances of rape that occurred between July 2011 and October 2020. The majority were committed by Dominique Pélicot himself, with over 90 involving the other men he invited into their home.

A Husband's Disturbing Motivations

As the trial got underway in September 2024, psychologists who evaluated Dominique Pélicot painted a troubling picture of his character and possible motivations.

One expert, Marianne Douteau, described Pélicot as "quick-tempered" and someone "who inspired fear." She noted his sexuality appeared "ordinary in public" but within his marriage he had a "tenacious sexuality." Pélicot allegedly turned to drugging and assaulting his wife after she refused his requests to engage in swinging.

Another psychologist, Annabelle Montagne, characterized Pélicot as "self-centered" with a tendency to "consider other people as objects to manipulate, to lie to." She suggested his interest in unconscious sex could "be linked to fantasies of necrophilia."

The court also heard that Pélicot claimed to have been raped by a male nurse at age 9, which may have caused "a split in his psyche." However, given his manipulative nature, the veracity of this claim remains uncertain.

A Brave Decision to Speak Out

In a powerful act of reclaiming her story, Gisèle Pélicot chose to waive her right to anonymity and requested that the trial be held publicly. Her lawyer explained she wanted to show that "shame must change sides" - that it is the perpetrators, not victims, who should feel ashamed.

"I speak for all women who are drugged and don't know about it, I do it on behalf of all women who will perhaps never know," Gisèle told the court. She hopes that by sharing her experience, other women who wake up with unexplained memory gaps might recognize the warning signs of similar abuse.

Her brave decision to testify publicly sends an important message, according to Bailey Reid, CEO of the sexual violence prevention program The Spark Strategy. "That she chose to be public with it shows an important value that women should not be ashamed when they're sexually [assaulted]. It's never their fault, and they shouldn't feel that it is," Reid told CBC News.

The Devastating Impact

The toll of learning about the decade of abuse has been immense for Gisèle Pélicot. "I no longer have an identity... I don't know if I'll ever rebuild myself," she told the court.

Beyond the psychological trauma, she also learned she had contracted four sexually transmitted infections as a result of the assaults. None of the men who raped her used protection.

The betrayal extends beyond just her husband - their adult daughter, Caroline Darian, was horrified to learn that nude photos of her were also found on her father's computer.

"I feel disgusted," Gisèle said. "I've lost ten years of my life." She described herself as a "field of ruins” inside.

A Call for Accountability

Throughout her testimony, Gisèle Pélicot has remained resolute in holding all of the accused men responsible for their actions. She rejected arguments from some defendants that they had been manipulated or trapped by her husband.

"These men entered my home, respected the imposed protocol. They did not rape me with a gun to the head. They raped me in all conscience," she stated firmly. "Why didn't they go to the police station? Even an anonymous phone call could have saved my life."

She urged the accused to "for once in your lives at least, take responsibility for your actions."

The Trial Continues

The trial of Dominique Pélicot and the 50 other accused men began on September 2, 2024 in Avignon and is expected to last until December 20. Most of the defendants face up to 20 years in prison if convicted of aggravated rape.

Eighteen of the accused, including Dominique Pélicot, are currently in custody. Thirty-two others are attending the trial as free men, while one final suspect remains at large and is being tried in absentia.

The case has captivated France, shining a light on the dangers of drug-facilitated sexual assault and challenging assumptions about marital rape. For Gisele Pelicot, it represents a chance to finally have her voice heard after a decade of silent suffering.

"I'm taking back control of my life, to denounce chemical submission," she told the court. "Many women don't have the proof. I have the proof of what I've been through."

As the trial continues, Gisèle Pélicot's courageous testimony serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of believing survivors and holding perpetrators accountable - no matter their relationship to the victim. Her story, though deeply tragic, may help prevent other women from enduring similar ordeals in silence.