The French woman whose husband is accused of drugging her and inviting dozens of men to rape her over nearly a decade has given her final testimony in court.
On Tuesday, November 19, Gisèle Pelicot, 71, appeared in court in Avignon, France, where her husband of 50 years, Dominique Pélicot, also 71, is on trial alongside 50 other men.
According to NBC News, The Guardian, and Reuters, Gisèle told the court, “For me, this is the trial of cowardice, there is no other way to describe it.”
“The macho, patriarchal society that trivializes rape needs to change…” “It’s time we changed the way we look at rape,” she told the outlets.
According to The Guardian, she believes all of the 51 men on trial, ranging in age from 26 to 74, are guilty. It is not for me to judge; the court will do its job.”
“I’ve lost 10 years of my life that I’ll never make up for … This scar will never heal,” Gisèle continued, adding that she would never “find peace” over the ordeal and that the 51 men had “sullied” her.
“I’ve seen people testify who deny rape while others admit it. I want to ask these men: when you entered that bedroom, when did Madame Pelicot give you her permission?” she said, speaking about herself in the third person, according to the outlet.
“When did you become aware of this inert body?” When did you realize there was something wrong? Did you leave right away? At what point did you not notify the police?” She proceeded.
Dominique appeared in court in September, confessing to his crimes and stating, “I am a rapist.”
He also told the court he regularly crushed drugs in his wife’s food, including her favorite dessert, raspberry ice cream, according to The Telegraph.
“I used to say to him, ‘How lucky am I, you’re a darling, you really look after me,'” Gisèle told the court last month, according to the BBC.
On Tuesday, Nov. 19, the court heard Dominque’s 2020 police statement, in which he stated that he “facilitated the rapes” and admitted that “between 30 and 50 people” had come to their home “to have sex with my wife,” according to the BBC.
According to The Guardian, the couple’s three children appeared in court the day before and described their “devastation” after learning about their father’s actions.
According to the outlet, Dominique asked the couple’s eldest son, David Pelicot, 50, for forgiveness, but he said, “Never.”
According to the outlet and NBC News, the couple’s daughter Caroline Darian, 45, claimed her father drugged and abused her.
Dominique responded, stating that he had never abused his daughter or any of his grandchildren, according to The Guardian.
Gisèle learned about the assaults against her in 2020, when police informed her that they had discovered photos and videos on Dominique’s computer, according to The Times.
The findings came amid allegations that Dominique, whom Gisèle filed for divorce from in 2021, had filmed three women’s skirts in a supermarket.
Last month, she informed the court that she had chosen an open trial so that “all women who [are] victims of rape can say to themselves, ‘Madame Pelicot did it, we can do it.’ “I don’t want them to feel ashamed anymore,” according to French outlet Le Monde.
According to NBC News, the trial will return verdicts and sentences around December 20.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
