Brave wife of man who 'drugged and invited dozens of men to rape her over nine years' takes to stand in trial

5 September 2024, 10:48

A brave wife whose husband is accused of drugging her to film her being raped by different men has taken the stand.

Dominique Pelicot, 71, is on trial in France accused of drugging his wife and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her in their home over nine years.

He is said to have catalogued more than 20,000 videos and images of his wife as she was assaulted between 2011 and 2020, and now stands accused of aggravated rape.

His wife, Gisele, waived anonymity as part of the case in order for the details of her husband's alleged crimes to be made public.

Bravely taking to the stand for the first time on Thursday, she was told there would be "extremely difficult moments" for her as she testifies.

The judge said she would be allowed to testify freely before being asked a few questions.

Read more: Husband who 'filmed his drugged wife being raped by 52 men accused her of cheating to get away with crimes'

Read more: Husband 'drugged his wife and invited dozens of men to rape her over nine years at home in south of France'

Ms Pelicot began by thanking the police officer who initially arrested her husband - who she is in the process of divorcing - after he was caught filming up women's skirts.

"He saved my life and I probably wouldn't be here without him," she said, according to the Telegraph.

Recalling the moment he allegedly confessed to taking pictures up women's skirts, she told the court: "On December 19, my husband said he had a problem with his phone and his code. I didn’t really understand but remained at my daughter’s house.

"When I returned to Mazan, our village, Mr Pelicot picked me up but had changed, he looked pale and anxious. I was worried about his health.

"Arriving in Mazan, he prepared my lunch. We are in the kitchen, he sat down and broke down in tears. I didn’t understand. I thought it was a health problem that had come back and I thought that it was about this.

"He said have ‘done something silly’ I said what? He said I was surprised in supermarket in Carpentras filming under women’s skirts.

"In 50 years, Mr Pelicot had never taken pictures of other women. I said I forgive you, we’ve never had any problems in 50 years. But there won’t be a next time, otherwise I’ll leave.

"He said I’m not going to do it again. I trusted it as our relationship was based on trust for the past 50 years."

She said she was summoned to the police station for what she thought was a "formality".

Ms Pelicot told the court that she was questioned about her husband.

“I was astonished by all these questions," she said.

"One question was then asked: 'How would you describe your husband?' I said for the past 50 years he was a ‘well intentioned and a nice guy'.

"I’m a woman who only one man can touch, Mr Pelicot, no other can put a hand on me. I was told to remove my mask and the policeman said I’m going to tell you something you won’t like."

Ms Pelicot said her daughter "screamed like a wild beast" when she heard the allegations.

"I will never forget this," she said. "When I told my sons about this, I don’t think they really understood, they were withdrawn and didn’t react much. I think they were in a state of shock. They said don’t say such silly things.”

The 71-year-old was convinced she had Alzheimer's after suffering memory loss in 2011 and 2013, but her concerns were dismissed by her husband.

She said she jokingly asked her husband if he was drugging her and he “broke down in tears”, saying: “You actually think I could do that?”

Ms Pelicot went on to admit that she had an affair 14 years into her marriage.

She said her lover visited "periodically" over two years, which her husband “reacted very badly” to.

“He could see there was a problem as I found it hard to love two people at once," she said.

"As I said, our couple was based on trust so it was hard. But as I said he was the only man I had known.

“I only ever had two men in my bed. It may sound ridiculous today.”

Ms Pelicot told the court that she never authorised her husband to film her during sex.

“I don’t recall ever having a conversation about it," she said.

"The only conversation we had was about going swinging and I said categorically no, I will never do that."

Prosecutors said some 92 rapes took place over the nine years, carried out by 72 men.

Fifty are being tried in Avignon for the aggravated rape of Ms Pelicot, with 35 of the accused having denied forcing themselves on her.