French court declares ex-husband of Gisele Pelicot guilty on all charges of raping and drugging his wife
The ex-husband of Gisele Pelicot has been found guilty of aggravated rapes and all other charges.
Gisèle Pelicot's (now ex) husband of 50 years, Dominique Pelicot, admitted that he knocked her out with drugs so he and strangers he recruited online could rape Gisele while filming her.
The judge read out verdicts one after the other against the 51 accused, saying 'you are therefore declared guilty of aggravated rape on the person of Gisèle Pelicot'. They also received prison sentences.
50 men have been found guilty on rape and sexual assault charges against Gisèle Pelicot, 72. Only one man who was charged of rape has had his charge reduced.
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Pelicot admitted he hid tranquillisers in food and drink that he gave his wife.
After she consumed the substance, it knocked her out, which meant he and the other men would be invited over to rape and film her.
“I’ve decided not to be ashamed — I’ve done nothing wrong,” Gisèle said in court.
“They (rapists) are the ones who must be ashamed.
“I’m not expressing hatred or hate, but I am determined that things change in this society.
“It’s not courage. It’s determination to change things. This is not just my battle, but that of all rape victims.”
Dominique admitted: "I am a rapist.
"I acknowledge all the facts [of the case] in their entirety."
Following a police search, they found his library of homemade images documenting years of abuse inflicted on his wife.
In the collection were more than 20,000 photos and videos. They were stored on computer drives and catalogued in folders marked 'abuse', 'her rapists', 'night alone' and other titles.
The evidence was enough for the police to locate and identify the other defendants.
However, investigators found 72 different abusers, but were not able to identify them all.
While Dominique Pelicot acknowledged that he was guilty of rape, many did not, even in the face of video evidence.
The hearings sparked wider debate in France about whether the country’s legal definition of rape should be expanded to include specific mention of consent.
Some defendants argued that Dominique Pelicot’s consent covered his wife, too.
Some sought to excuse their behaviour by insisting that they had not intended to rape anyone when they responded to the husband’s invitations to come to their home.
Some laid blame at his door, saying he misled them into thinking they were taking part in consensual kink.
According to CNN, Dominique Pelicot was 'bent over and crying in court'.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Topics: Crime, Domestic Abuse, World News
Anish Vij