In a shocking case that has gripped the French public, 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot has admitted to drugging his wife, Gisèle, and allowing dozens of men to abuse her for over ten years. In his first testimony since the trial began on 2 September,
Pelicot confessed to all charges against him, including the orchestration of the abuse and filming it for personal pleasure and “insurance.”
“I am a rapist like the others in this room,” Pelicot said in court, referring to the 50 co-defendants who are accused of participating in the abuse.
He acknowledged that they were all aware of what was happening, adding, “They all knew, they cannot say the contrary.”
Reflecting on his ex-wife, Pelicot expressed deep regret, stating, “She did not deserve this. I was very happy with her.”
He went on to say that he still loved her, despite his heinous actions. “I loved her well for 40 years and badly for 10,” he said, referencing the period during which he drugged her to facilitate the abuse.
Gisèle Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity and requested the trial be open to the public, responded to her ex-husband’s testimony with visible emotion.
“It is difficult for me to listen to this. For 50 years, I lived with a man who I would’ve never imagined could be capable of this. I trusted him completely,” she told the court.
Pelicot, who is both a father and a grandfather, shared details of his own traumatic childhood, including being abused by a male nurse when he was nine years old.
He also spoke of his intense emotional turmoil after discovering that Gisèle had an affair, admitting that he had once considered suicide.
Investigators discovered thousands of videos taken by Pelicot showing men abusing his unconscious wife, which were crucial in identifying the 50 co-defendants now standing trial.
Pelicot admitted that he filmed the abuse partly for his own pleasure, but also to ensure the evidence could be used to hold those involved accountable.
The trial, which is open to the public, continues, with Pelicot set to provide further testimony, despite battling illness.
He has been diagnosed with a kidney infection and kidney stones and was absent from court for almost a week.
The proceedings have garnered significant attention, as Gisèle Pelicot’s legal team has highlighted her bravery in bringing the case to light, hoping to shift the shame onto the accused rather than the victim.
