A person holds a placard as people gather for a demonstration against femicide, sexual violence, and gender-based violence in front of the courthouse in Avignon, France, on November 23, 2024.– Reuters
As the trial of a man who allegedly drugged his wife for years, allowing dozens of strangers to abuse her, concludes, French prosecutors will begin presenting their sentencing recommendations to the judges on Monday. Dominique Pelicot, the main defendant, has been on trial in Avignon since September alongside 49 other men for orchestrating the rapes and sexual assaults of his former wife, Gisele Pelicot. This case has deeply shaken France, which is still grappling with its own version of the MeToo movement. Recent demonstrations demanding stronger protection against sexual violence drew tens of thousands of participants on Saturday.
The trial's impact has reverberated globally, with 57 out of 138 international media organizations covering the proceedings. On Thursday, the president of Chile's parliament praised Gisele Pelicot's 'courage and dignity,' referring to her as 'an ordinary citizen who has taught the world a lesson.' Beyond Dominique Pelicot, who has admitted to all charges, prosecutors must determine appropriate penalties for the other defendants, who range in age from 26 to 74 and come from various backgrounds. Many of these men claimed they believed they were participating in a consensual libertine fantasy, with Gisele pretending to be asleep. Thirty-three of them also argued they were not mentally competent during the acts of abuse or rape, a defense not supported by any psychological reports.
The sentencing phase is expected to last three days, with prosecutors estimating an average of 15 minutes per defendant. As the 11-week hearing concluded last week, Gisele Pelicot's lawyer, Antoine Camus, called for 'truth and justice' for the plaintiff, her three children, step-children, and grandchildren. The court's five judges will not deliver their verdict until late December. Most of the accused face serious rape charges with a maximum sentence of 20 years. As the mastermind behind the abuse, Dominique Pelicot is likely to receive the full penalty. He admitted to regularly drugging Gisele with anti-anxiety drugs from July 2011 to October 2020, making her vulnerable to abuse by strangers he recruited online. He documented these crimes extensively in photos and videos, which were later discovered by police.
Prosecutors may also seek the maximum penalty for fellow defendant Jean-Pierre M., who allegedly raped his own wife multiple times, sometimes in the presence of Pelicot. Of the remaining defendants, 35 deny any involvement in the rapes. Observers will be keen to see if prosecutors request harsher penalties for those who repeatedly raped Gisele compared to those who participated only once. After Dominique Pelicot, two men accused of sexual assault and attempted rape will be addressed first by prosecutors, followed by those on trial for rape. Defense lawyers will present their arguments from Wednesday afternoon or Thursday, starting with Dominique Pelicot's lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro. The judges are expected to deliver their ruling by December 20 at the latest.
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