France: Man Accused of Letting 72 Men Rape Wife Goes on Trial

Facts

• A 71-year-old former electrician went on trial on Monday in Avignon, France, for drugging and raping his wife, as well as allowing dozens of strangers to rape her while she was drugged unconscious.^[1][2]
• Dominique Pélicot admitted to having given Gisèle food containing powerful tranquilizers to knock her unconscious before raping her, and recruiting and letting men aged between 26 and 74 assault her as well.^[3]
• The abuse allegedly started in 2011 and lasted nearly a decade. Police identified at least 92 rapes committed by 72 men, including 51 who have been formally identified and charged, and are standing trial alongside Dominique.^[4][5]
• Gisèle, who has no recollection of the abuse, only learned of the rapes in 2020 when police detained and investigated Dominique for filming up women's skirts in a supermarket.^[6]
• Investigators subsequently found over 20K photos and videos of his sedated wife's sexual encounters from his computer file, reportedly labeled 'abuse.' A two-year search by police then followed to identify Gisèle's rapists.^[4]
• The perpetrators — who include single, married, and divorced men — reportedly came from all walks of life, including firefighters, journalists, and prison guards. No money is alleged to have changed hands in relation to the abuse.^[7][6]

Sources: ^[1]France 24, ^[2]Washington Post, ^[3]BBC News, ^[4]New York Times, ^[5]The Telegraph, ^[6]Daily Mail and ^[7]Le Monde.fr.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Telegraph and The Sun. This extremely shocking case contains details that are distressing to read, but that is nothing compared to what Gisèle will have to endure during the trial. For 10 years she went unaware of her abuses, now she will have to live through the rapes committed in her house by her husband. We should all be saluting her courage in pushing for a public trial, to raise awareness and ensure that what happened to her never happens to anyone again.
• Narrative B, as provided by BBC News. While Giséle's bravery in dealing with this legal process should certainly be applauded, it is questionable whether she should have the right to publicly reveal the identities of the accused in this trial. Some senior lawyers have suggested that such information should only be scrutinized once individuals have been convicted, so as to avoid stigma and judgement for those who may turn out to be innocent. Anonymity is a key protection that should have been afforded in this case.