Frenchman on Trial for Mass Rape of Wife Too Weak to Testify

Improve the News Foundation -

Facts

  • Dominique Pélicot, a 71-year-old Frenchman standing trial for drugging his wife Gisèle and allowing dozens of men to rape her from 2011-2020, was hospitalized Tuesday for what his lawyer described as abdominal pain.[1]
  • Though Judge Roger Arata previously ruled that he was fit to return to court on Wednesday, his lawyer said he will not attend the trial this week because he has become 'more serious.'[2][3]
  • Arata has ordered an expert report to determine if the trial should continue or be temporarily suspended, considering his deteriorating health.[4]
  • While police have identified 72 men responsible for the 92 rapes, there are currently 51 standing trial alongside Pélicot ranging from 26 to 74 years old.[5][6]
  • Gisèle was unaware of the assaults until Dominique was arrested in 2020 for taking violating photos of women in a supermarket. Police later found 20K photos and videos of Gisèle's abuse on her husband's computer.[7]
  • This week's trial was scheduled for four of Dominique's co-defendants, including 63-year-old Jean-Pierre M., who's not accused of raping Gisèle, but rather receiving drugs from Dominique to abuse his own wife.[8]

Sources: [1]Guardian, [2]Barrons, [3]The Straits Times, [4]France 24, [5]Washington Post, [6]CBS, [7]Verity and [8]Le Monde.fr.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The Telegraph and The Sun. This extremely shocking case contains distressing details, but that is nothing compared to what Gisèle will 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's 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 to avoid stigma and judgment for those who may be innocent. Anonymity is a key protection that should have been afforded in this case.
  • Narrative C, as provided by EL PAÍS English. The case of Dominique Pélicot stretches back decades before he began abusing his wife, having been accused of raping a woman in 1991 and confessing to the rape of another in 1999. He was likely able to get away with this due to his ability to curate a positive public image while hiding his dark personal life, which allegedly included abusing members of his own family. Hopefully, this case will help the world identify and deter future psychosexual predators.