Gisele Pelicot exits the courtroom in Avignon during the trial of her ex-partner Dominique Pelicot, who stands accused of drugging her for nearly a decade and orchestrating rapes by strangers at their home in Mazan, southern France, on November 14, 2024. — AFP

The trial of 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot, who allegedly drugged his wife for ten years to facilitate her rape by numerous strangers, is nearing its conclusion. The final defendants are set to testify this week, followed by sentencing requests and a verdict expected next month. This case has ignited widespread shock, protests, and discussions about male violence in French society. If convicted, Pelicot could be branded one of France's most heinous sex offenders.

Since early September, Pelicot has been on trial in Avignon alongside 49 other men, with one defendant still at large. Gisele, his former wife, has emerged as a feminist symbol by openly advocating for the trial to be public, aiming to raise awareness about drug-facilitated sexual abuse. 'The shame isn't ours to feel, it's theirs,' she declared.

Over the past ten weeks, the court has examined charges against 47 defendants, with the last four scheduled to testify on Monday. These defendants, like the others, come from ordinary backgrounds: Nicolas F, a 43-year-old freelance journalist; Boris M, a 37-year-old transport company employee; Philippe L, a 62-year-old gardener; and Joseph C, a 69-year-old pensioner. Previous defendants claimed they thought they were participating in a consensual game and were unaware Gisele had been drugged. They will likely face the incriminating videos meticulously filmed and stored by Dominique Pelicot.

Investigators documented around 200 rapes, most by her husband and over 90 by strangers. Gisele's lawyer, Antoine Camus, expressed fatigue with the defendants' repeated claims of accidental or mistaken rape. Dominique Pelicot has admitted to being a rapist. Of the co-defendants, only 14 have confessed to aggravated rape, facing up to 20 years in prison. The remaining 35 deny the charges, insisting they believed they were engaging in consensual sex games.

Gisele never consented to these acts. Her life unraveled in 2020 when she discovered her partner of 50 years had been secretly drugging her to facilitate rapes and inviting strangers to their home in Mazan. Dominique meticulously documented these acts on a hard drive labeled 'abuse,' leading to the identification of 50 suspects, including himself. For years, Gisele experienced memory lapses and health issues, initially suspecting Alzheimer's, until police revealed she had been drugged and raped for nearly a decade.

None of her abusers reported the crimes. Dominique was caught by chance in 2020 when detained for filming up women's skirts in a supermarket. Gisele's two sons and daughter have regularly attended the trial to support her. David and Florian are expected to testify this week, while their sister, Caroline Darian, believes she was also drugged by their father, as evidenced by nude photomontages found on Dominique's computer.

After the final testimonies, both Dominique and Gisele will have a chance to speak. Prosecutors will then present their closing arguments and sentencing demands on Thursday and Friday, with the verdict expected by December 20.

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