A grandmother whose husband drugged her and invited dozens of men to rape her is taking the witness stand this morning in France’s worst ever sexual abuse trial.
Gisele Pelicot bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years.
Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious.
Madame Pelicot, who has three grown up children and seven grandchildren, is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband’s warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan.
Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France’s worst rape case.
Gisele Pelicot (pictured arriving to court this morning) bravely waived her right to anonymity to make public details of the horrific betrayal her partner of 50 years had forced her to endure over ten years
Dominique Pelicot and 50 other accused of raping her. Pelicot and 14 of his co-accused have admitted their part in France’s worst rape case
Today Madame Pelicot, 71, will relive the trauma that she experienced when police investigator showed her graphic films of her being raped repeatedly by her husband Dominique and more than 80 strangers while she was unconscious
Madame Pelicot is determined that the public knows that she played no part in her husband’s warped sexual fantasies that he played out at their picturesque chalet home in the Provence village of Mazan (pictured)
But 35 men – from all walks of life – deny that they forced themselves on Madame Pelicot while she was unconscious, claiming that she was in some way consented.
However this morning Madame Pelicot who had no idea of the abuse her husband was putting her through over a decade, is determined that France and the rest of world hear her testimony.
Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 51 men accused her raping her.
Accompanied by her three grown-up children, the 71-year-old with a smart auburn bob appeared defiant in the face of her abusers.
She stared up at the ceiling of the Avignon court room and gave a heavy sigh as Judge Roger Arata opened the fourth day of the trial that has shocked France.
Across the room Dominique Pelicot, her grey-haired husband of 50 years – who claims to have adored his wife – looked at her without expression.
Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for ‘upskirting’ at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of ‘sex-movies’ at their home.
At 9.20am Madame Pelicot took the witness stand to give evidence.
Wearing a long, orange dress, a white blouse and a gold necklace, Madame Pelicot sat with her head held high in the same courtroom as the 51 men accused her raping her
Mr Pelicot’s daughter, Caroline Darian, arrived to court alongside her mother this morning
Madame Pelicot had no idea that she was being subjected to this terrible betrayal until her husband was arrested for ‘upskirting’ at his local supermarket and police discovered a library of ‘sex-movies’ at their home (pictured above)
Some of the 50 co-defendants accused of rape speak with a lawyer at the courthouse in the case that has shocked France on Monday, September 2
Madame Pelicot is pictured above as she arrived to court this morning
Pictured above is a general view of where the Pelicots lived which has been known as the house of horrors, with a creepy back alley
She gave her name, maiden name and age into the microphone.
Judge Arata tried to reassure her that she should take her time to make her testimony. And he warned her she would face cross examination.
Caroline Darian’s book
She said: ‘I would not be before you if it were not for the work of the police of Carpentras [the town where the supermarket where her husband was arrested in 2020].
‘On that day in September I had been away with my daughter. I returned home to Mazan and I sat in the kitchen.
‘Monsieur Pelicot told me; “I have done something silly. I took some photographs in the supermarket”.
‘After 50 years of marriage I said I would forgive him. But if there was a second time I would leave him.
‘In October I went to Paris to look after two of my grandchildren.
‘I received a phone call from the police who told me they wanted to talk to me.
‘I made an appointment in November at the police headquarters in Carpentras.’
She continued: ‘We were later summoned to the police. I knew he had taken photos of these women and thought we were going as a formality.
Dominique Pelicot can be seen in this court sketch on the right
A black and white facial reconstruction of a younger Dominique Pelicot is seen in this handout image
Dominique Pelicot is accused of orchestrating the rape ring
Gisele Pelicot (C) sits next to her daughter Caroline Darian (2ndL) and her sons Florian Pelicot (L) and David Pelicot (2ndR) with his wife Celine F. (R), at the courthouse during the trial of her husband on September 2
‘For 50 years I always supported my husband, health, financial and couple problems. It was based on trust. But I left and went home while my husband was in custody.
‘The traumatism was enormous. The shock. I returned home to my little dog. I could not stay alone. I had to go to see some friends.
‘I told my son that his father was in custody, that he had been charged. On the 3rd of November I went to the police station at Carpentras.
‘The police showed me the videos. My world collapsed. When I told my daughter she screamed.
‘I left my house with two suitcases and my dog. That was all I had after 50 years of marriage. Everything was based on trust in 50 years.
‘My daughter had a nervous breakdown and required medical help.’
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