Fifty men accused of raping Gisèle Pelicot over a decade, allegedly orchestrated by her husband Dominique Pelicot, 72, are set to face sentencing next week at the end of a months-long trial.
The men, aged between their 20s and 70s, include firefighters, soldiers, truck drivers, and a journalist, representing a cross-section of French society. Prosecutors argue the defendants knowingly participated in acts of sexual assault while Pelicot was drugged with prescription sleeping pills, a claim supported by extensive video evidence recorded by Dominique Pelicot.
If convicted, the accused collectively face over 600 years in prison. Prosecutors have tailored sentencing demands based on the frequency of the assaults and the specific actions committed by each defendant.
Dominique Pelicot admitted to drugging his wife and coordinating the assaults, which he filmed over nearly ten years. He told the court all 50 men were aware of the lack of consent, providing instructions on how to avoid waking Gisèle, such as warming their hands before touching her or avoiding strong scents.
The trial has revealed disturbing details of the men’s involvement, with sentences ranging from four years for lesser charges to up to 18 years for defendants accused of repeated, aggravated rape. One man, identified as Romain V, is accused of assaulting Gisèle on six occasions while knowingly being HIV-positive.
While none of the men have denied visiting the Pelicot home, many contest the charges of rape. Defense lawyers argue that some of the accused were unaware of Gisèle’s inability to consent, claiming they were manipulated or coerced by Dominique Pelicot.
“There can be no crime without the intention to commit it,” one defense lawyer argued. Another defendant, Christian L, insisted, “My body raped her, but my brain didn’t.”
Others claim they were drugged or intimidated by Dominique Pelicot, who has been described as an “abominable character” by defense attorneys.
Gisèle Pelicot rejected claims that the defendants were manipulated, asserting that they acted with full knowledge. “They didn’t rape me with a gun to their heads,” she told the court. “They raped me in full conscience.”
She questioned why none of the men reported the abuse to authorities, stating, “Even an anonymous phone call could have saved my life. But not one did. Not a single one of them.”
The accused come from diverse backgrounds, ranging from blue-collar workers to professionals, and most hail from within a 30-mile radius of the Pelicots’ village of Mazan. The ordinariness of their profiles has led the French media to refer to them as “Monsieur-Tout-Le-Monde” (Mr. Everyman).
The trial has also delved into the personal histories of the accused, uncovering stories of childhood trauma and abuse in several cases. Families and partners of the men have expressed shock and disbelief at their involvement, with many struggling to reconcile the accusations with their knowledge of their loved ones.
The trial, held in Avignon, has drawn widespread attention for its unprecedented scale and the staggering amount of evidence. The court will deliver its verdict next week, concluding one of the most shocking criminal cases in modern French history.
