A French court delivered a landmark verdict on Thursday, finding all 51 defendants guilty in a harrowing drugging-and-rape case that has drawn international attention and transformed the victim, Gisele Pelicot, into a symbol of courage and resilience.
Dominique Pelicot, Gisele’s ex-husband of 50 years, pleaded guilty to drugging her repeatedly over nearly a decade to facilitate her rape and to offer her unconscious body for sex to numerous strangers he met online while recording the abuse. The court sentenced him to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, as requested by prosecutors.
The court imposed generally shorter sentences for the other defendants, with 47 found guilty of rape, two guilty of attempted rape, and two guilty of sexual assault. The prosecution had sought sentences ranging from four to 18 years for the other defendants.
Outside the court in Avignon, supporters of Gisele Pelicot erupted in cheers upon hearing the guilty verdicts. Many of the accused had denied the charges, claiming they believed they were participating in a consensual sex game orchestrated by the couple, arguing that it was not rape if the husband approved.
Dominique Pelicot, 72, admitted during testimony, “I am a rapist like the others in this room,” denying that he misled the men involved. Gisele, also 72, waived her right to anonymity during the trial and insisted that the disturbing videos of her abuse, recorded by her former husband, be shown in court to encourage other women to come forward.
The trial has sparked protests across France in support of Gisele and has ignited discussions about the need to reform the country’s rape laws, which currently do not explicitly state that consent is necessary for sexual activity.
Gisele Pelicot displayed remarkable determination throughout the trial, confronting her abusers and rejecting any claims that she was a willing participant. “I’ve decided not to be ashamed; I’ve done nothing wrong,” she testified. “They are the ones who must be ashamed.”
The Pelicot children—David, Caroline, and Florian—attended the court to hear the verdict, publicly denouncing their father’s actions and rejecting his pleas for forgiveness. The defendants, who came from various backgrounds including lorry drivers, soldiers, and journalists, ranged in age from 22 to their early 70s, with many living within a 50-km radius of the Pelicots’ village of Mazan.
The case came to light in 2020 when Dominique Pelicot was caught attempting to photograph women inappropriately in a supermarket. Subsequent police investigations uncovered over 20,000 photos and videos on his computer, revealing the horrific abuse he had concealed from Gisele for a decade.
Gisele Pelicot acknowledged that her husband had used powerful tranquilizers to incapacitate her, leading her to fear she was developing Alzheimer’s or a brain tumor due to memory loss. She expressed hope that the attention surrounding her case would empower other survivors of sexual abuse. “It’s not courage. It’s determination to change things,” she stated. “This is not just my battle, but that of all rape victims.”
