Gisèle Pélicot, who alleges that her ex-husband Dominique Pélicot drugged her so she could be sexually assaulted by other men while unconscious, gave her testimony in court on Thursday. Speaking calmly from Avignon in southern France, she described the horror of discovering that her former husband had systematically recorded the assaults and stored thousands of images, which were later uncovered by the police. “It’s unbearable,” she said during her hour-long testimony. This was the first time Gisèle, now in her 70s, spoke out against Dominique, who is now 71, as well as the 50 other men on trial for aggravated rape. Each accused could face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.

The uncovering of a decade-long abuse

Gisèle and Dominique Pélicot, who had been married for 50 years and had three children, relocated to Mazan in Provence after retiring. Gisèle testified in court that she had once considered their relationship strong. However, her perspective changed dramatically in late 2020 when Dominique was caught by a security guard taking inappropriate photos of women’s crotches in a supermarket. This incident prompted a police investigation, which revealed thousands of images and videos on Dominique’s phone and computer, showing men sexually assaulting Gisèle in their home while she was unconscious.

Initially, Gisèle had described her husband as “a great guy” when questioned by the police. But after discovering the evidence, she left him, taking only two suitcases—“all that was left for me of 50 years of life together.” Investigations disclosed that Dominique allegedly used a criminal messaging website to arrange for men to abuse his wife, leading to the site’s shutdown earlier this year by French authorities. The abuse, which reportedly began in 2011, continued for nearly a decade. Men invited to the Pélicots’ home had to follow specific rules, including remaining silent, undressing in the kitchen, and avoiding strong scents. They often waited in a nearby parking lot for up to an hour and a half while Gisèle was drugged into unconsciousness with a combination of Temesta and Zolpidem, medications used for sedation and anxiety.

Testimony and reactions in court

During her testimony, Gisèle Pélicot spoke about the profound impact of the abuse, describing it as “scenes of barbarity, of rape,” and conveying a sense of total devastation. She likened her feeling to being “a rag doll, like a garbage bag” in the presence of her abusers. A medical expert testified that the alleged rapists did not use condoms, resulting in Gisèle contracting four sexually transmitted infections. Thanks to Dominique’s videotapes of the assaults, police were able to identify and track down most of the 72 suspects over a two-year investigation.

Dominique is on trial alongside 50 other men, aged between 22 and 70. Some defendants argue they were manipulated by Dominique, but Gisèle firmly dismissed these claims in court. “These men entered my home, followed the imposed protocol. They did not rape me with a gun to my head. They raped me with full awareness,” she said. She questioned why none of the men reported the abuse, asking, “Why didn’t they go to the police? Even an anonymous call could have saved my life.”

Gisèle has been adamant about the trial being public, hoping her testimony will prevent similar situations for other women. “I no longer have an identity. ... I don’t know if I’ll ever rebuild myself,” she said. Outside the courthouse, she vowed to see the trial through despite the emotional toll. “We will have to fight until the end,” she told reporters. Over the coming months, the trial will feature testimonies from experts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, and computer specialists, with the defendants appearing in small groups before a panel of five judges. Gisèle is scheduled to testify again next week. AP