Gisele Pelicot: Woman testifies against husband accused of inviting men to rape her while unconscious

Speaking in a calm and clear voice, Gisele Pelicot testified in a French court for the first time, recounting the horror of what she uncovered. The shocking discovery came after police found thousands of images and videos on Dominique Pelicot’s devices, leading to his arrest and the start of a high-profile trial in Avignon, France.

She said: “It’s unbearable. I have so much to say that I don’t always know where to start.”

Dominique Pelicot, now 71, is on trial alongside 50 other men, all charged with aggravated rape. They face up to 20 years in prison. The trial, which began earlier this week, is expected to last until December.

Gisele explained that she believed she had a close relationship with her husband until late 2020 when their lives were shattered. A security guard had caught Dominique taking inappropriate photos of women in a supermarket, which led police to search his phone and computer. It was then that authorities discovered the horrifying evidence - footage of men raping Gisele while she appeared unconscious in her own home.

“For me, everything collapses,” she told the court. “These are scenes of barbarity, of rape.” She immediately left her husband after seeing the images, packing two suitcases - "all that was left for me of 50 years of life together”.

Since then, Gisele, who shared three children with Dominique, has struggled to regain a sense of identity. “I no longer have an identity… I don’t know if I’ll ever rebuild myself,” she said.

Police found that Dominique had allegedly communicated with men on criminal websites, inviting them to rape his wife under strict rules, such as removing their clothes in the kitchen and not wearing perfume. The abuse, investigators revealed, had been going on since 2011, with men waiting in nearby parking lots for the drugs to render Gisele unconscious. “I was sacrificed on the altar of vice,” she said. “They regarded me like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.”

Because Dominique videotaped the alleged assaults, police were able to identify and track down the majority of the 72 suspects involved. Alongside Dominique, 50 other men aged 22 to 70 are standing trial. Some of the defendants claim they were manipulated by Dominique, while others deny the charges altogether.

As the trial continues, with testimony expected from psychologists, psychiatrists, and computer experts, Gisele has remained resolute. She insisted that the trial be held in public, hoping her testimony would help other women who have endured similar ordeals.

Outside the courtroom, Gisele told reporters: “We will have to fight until the end,” vowing to see justice served.