Dominique Pelicot, the 71-year-old man facing charges of drugging his wife, Gisèle, and facilitating her abuse by numerous men over a decade, has confessed to all charges during his testimony. Since the trial began on September 2, Pelicot has admitted his guilt, calling himself “a rapist like the others in this room” and stating, “They all knew, they cannot say the contrary.” He expressed remorse for his ex-wife, saying, “She did not deserve this,” and described his love for her, contrasting his actions over the past ten years with the forty years he claims he loved her “immensely.”
Gisèle Pelicot responded to her former husband’s statements with difficulty, revealing her shock at the extent of his betrayal. She recounted her trust in him and her disbelief at his actions.
Pelicot also discussed his traumatic childhood, including abuse by a male nurse, and his emotional turmoil upon discovering his wife’s affair, which he said drove him to contemplate suicide. He admitted to filming the abuse partly for personal gratification and partly as “insurance,” which has helped identify the 50 men now charged in connection with the case. Despite being diagnosed with a kidney infection and stones, Pelicot is expected to continue his testimony, taking frequent breaks due to his illness. The trial, open to the public at Gisèle Pelicot’s request, aims to shift the focus of shame back onto the accused.