In a case that has shocked France, one of the dozens of men accused of raping a Frenchwoman, Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged unconscious by her then-husband, admitted to the crime during his court testimony on Thursday. The defendant, identified as Lionel R., a 44-year-old supermarket employee and father of three, acknowledged his role in the decade-long mass rape of Pelicot but claimed he didn’t initially realize what was happening.
Lionel R. admitted that he raped Gisele Pelicot on December 2, 2018, during an encounter arranged by her husband, Dominique Pelicot, who had drugged her unconscious and invited strangers to assault her. In his testimony, Lionel R. expressed regret, telling the court, “Since I never obtained Mrs. Pelicot’s consent, I have no choice but to accept the facts.”
He then turned to Gisele Pelicot, now 71, and asked for her forgiveness. “I never meant to hurt you, and I did. It’s horrible to think that I’m part of this nightmare. This apology won’t change anything, but I wanted to tell you anyway,” he said, while Pelicot listened impassively.
The case involves 50 men accused of raping or attempting to rape Gisele Pelicot over a span of ten years, with many of the accused being ordinary professionals, including a firefighter, a nurse, and a journalist. Gisele’s former husband, Dominique Pelicot, has admitted to drugging his wife and facilitating her assaults. Among the 50 defendants, one is also accused of mimicking Dominique Pelicot to assault his own wife.
During the trial, Gisele Pelicot became emotional, speaking about her humiliation at suggestions from defense lawyers that she may have consented. “No, there are no different types of rape,” she asserted. “Rape is rape.”
Lionel R. explained that he had initially made contact with Dominique Pelicot through a libertine website. According to Lionel, Pelicot had been unclear in his explanations, leading Lionel to believe that he was engaging in consensual activity as part of a swinger scene. He admitted that Pelicot had mentioned medical drugs, sometimes stating that his wife took them willingly and sometimes that he administered them to her. Pelicot had also sent Lionel naked pictures of his wife, further confusing him.
“I never imagined that she might not be part of this game. That was my first huge error,” Lionel R. said. Upon entering the Pelicots’ home, Lionel followed Dominique’s instructions and entered the bedroom where Gisele lay unconscious. Only when she began to move and he was told to leave did he realize something was deeply wrong.
While Lionel R. admitted his guilt, another defendant, 72-year-old Jacques C., denied the accusations. Jacques, a former firefighter, claimed that he had only touched Gisele Pelicot and not raped her, asking for her forgiveness in court. “I have a great deal of respect for women,” he stated, though one of Pelicot’s lawyers, Stephane Babonneau, expressed doubts about the sincerity of his apology, saying it “lacked depth.”
Since the case came to light, Gisele Pelicot has become a feminist icon in France, demanding a public trial to bring awareness to the horrific use of drugs in facilitating sexual abuse. Thousands of supporters marched over the weekend to show solidarity with her. Even famous French singer Renaud expressed his admiration for her on social media.
Pelicot divorced her husband in August and has continued to receive widespread praise for her bravery in bringing the case to trial. Of the 50 men charged, 17, including Dominique Pelicot, remain in custody, while 32 others attend the trial as free men. One defendant is being tried in absentia.
The trial has brought widespread attention to the issue of drug-facilitated sexual abuse, casting a spotlight on the dark reality of such crimes and the importance of consent.
