IT’S the court case that has shocked the world, as a man stands trial accused of drugging his wife for 72 men to rape her.
As Dominique Pelicot stands trial for alleged sex crimes against Gisele Pelicot, his children Caroline, David, and Florian have been by their mother’s side.
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A court has heard how Pelicot allegedly invited men he met online into his home to sexually assault his wife Gisele after slipping anxiety medication into her food to sedate her.
He is said to have then filmed the horrid attacks, which took place over ten years between 2011 and 2020.
The other accused men, whose ages range from 21 to 68, include a counsellor, nurse, fireman, IT worker, prison guard, and a journalist.
In total, the number of attackers is believed to be 72, with a two-year-long investigation unable to identify them all.
The horrific crimes came to light when police seized Pelicot’s mobile phone and laptop, discovering 20,000 videos and photographs.
Many of them were in a folder titled “abuse”, showing various men performing sexual acts on Gisele while she was unconscious.
Daughter’s torment
There was also a file labelled “Around my daughter, naked”, which showed Pelicot’s only daughter Caroline asleep with no clothes on.
A tearful Caroline recalled in court what it felt when she saw the two images for the first time.
She said: “I did not recognise myself, but the police officer pointed out a brown spot on her cheek, like mine.
“There, I discovered myself and I understood that the man who was my father, in whom I had total confidence, who I thought had integrity, who respected his daughter, who was proud of her, who had always encouraged her, I discovered that in fact, my father had photographed me without my knowledge, naked.”
Caroline added: “How do you rebuild yourself from the ashes, when your father is undoubtedly one of the greatest sexual predators of recent years?”
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Standing by their mother
Along with Caroline, Gisele’s sons David and Florian have been by their mother’s side as the trial continues.
The two men have been seen supporting her every time she has arrived in court, as their father stands accused of horrific sex crimes against their mother.
It is reported that David and Florian are both set to testify against Pelicot, but they are yet to do so.
The trial is set to continue until December 2024.
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women’s Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.