Dominique Pélicot, accused of sedating his then-wife, raping her, and inviting others to rape her for ten years, has spoken in court for the first time.
Court proceedings against Dominique Pélicot and 50 other men accused of raping his now ex-wife Gisèle with his approval began this month.
He told the court on Wednesday: “I am a rapist, like the others in this room”.
Dominique, who has pleaded guilty, said the assaults of his wife were an addiction linked to being sexually abused as a child.
Background
In November 2020, Dominique Pélicot was investigated by police after he was caught filming up women’s skirts at a supermarket in southeastern France, where he and his wife lived.
Police allege that when they searched Dominique’s computer, they found a folder labelled “abuses” containing over 20,000 images of an unconscious woman being raped by many men.
When Gisèle Pélicot, his then-wife, was brought in for questioning, she told police she had no memory of the rapes and did not recognise any of the men in the images shown to her.
In court this month, Gisèle said she began experiencing “total blackouts” in 2011, as well as chronic memory lapses, weight loss, and hair loss.
Dominique has admitted to putting sleeping pills into his wife’s evening meals to sedate her before raping her, and arranging for others to rape her from 2011 to 2020.
He told police that while Gisèle was unconscious, he invited a number of men to their home to film them raping her.
Dominique met most of these men via a now-banned online chat forum. Of the 83 suspects in the footage, police have identified and charged 50.
The trial
Dominique has pleaded guilty to all the charges against him, which include aggravated rape, drugging, and violating the privacy of his wife.
His lawyer described his actions as “a form of addiction,” and told reporters that Dominique “is ashamed of what he did, it is unforgivable.”
He is also accused of violating the privacy of his daughter and two daughters-in-law after illicit photos of them were also found on his devices.
Dominique faces up to 20 years in prison.
During his first testimony in court this week, Dominique said: “I am a rapist like the others in this room.”
He said he had “nothing but love” for his wife, but said he was unable to control a sex addiction he linked to childhood sexual abuse.
Gisele told the court that she found Dominique’s testimony difficult to hear. She said: “For 50 years, I lived with a man who I would never have imagined was capable of these acts of rape.”
When asked about the explicit photos of his daughter, Dominique claimed he did not take them and had “never touched” her.
Other defendants
Most of the other 50 defendants have been charged with aggravated rape, and could face up to 20 years if convicted.
Many have pleaded not guilty, alleging they were misled by Dominique into believing they were participating in a consensual role-playing scenario with Gisèle pretending to be asleep.
Gisèle and Dominique have both rejected these claims.
In his testimony today, Dominique said: “They all knew her condition before they came; they knew everything. They cannot say otherwise.”
Under French law, complainants have the right to remain private during a trial. Instead, Gisèle Pélicot has insisted on “complete, total publicity”.
“When other women… wake up with no memory, they might remember the testimony of Ms. Pélicot,” she said.
A growing number of supporters have gathered outside the courtroom throughout the trial.
Addressing her supporters and the media outside the court, Gisèle offered a message to other victims of sexual abuse, saying: “Look around you… you are not alone.”
1800 RESPECT
Call: 1800 737 732
Text: 0458 737 732
