Gisèle Pelicot, a French woman whose name is hidden in the case of the mass rape of her ex-husband, who is accused of drugging and raping her, along with 50 other men, has taken this step for the first time.
He told the court in Avignon that he wants women who have been raped to know that “it is not for us to be ashamed – it is because of them”.
“I want all women who have been raped to say: Madame Pelicot did it, I can do it too. I don’t want them to be ashamed anymore,” he said, referring to his request for an open trial and song videos. allegations of rape to be shown.
Gisèle, 72, was defending this following the request of her legal team to be given the opportunity to answer the evidence and testimony that has been presented so far in the case.
He said that a few weeks ago he saw different wives, mothers and sisters of the defendants standing and saying that the accused were “different men”.
“That’s exactly like who I had at home,” he added. “But a rapist is not just someone you meet in a dark parking lot at night. He is also found in family and friends.”
He said he was “completely destroyed” and would have to rebuild. “I don’t know if my whole life will be enough to understand,” he added.
Addressing her ex-husband as Mr Pelicot, Gisèle said: “I wish I could still call him Dominique. We lived together for 50 years, I was a happy and contented woman.”
“You were a caring, listening husband, and I never doubted you. We laughed and cried,” she added, her voice breaking.
Dominique has admitted that he recruited men online to rape his wife while she was under the influence of powerful sleeping pills that he secretly administered to her for ten years.
Gisèle said she used to feel lucky to have him when she was suffering from health problems which later turned out to be related to the drugs he was giving her.
“I’m trying to understand how this man who was perfect for me could do this. How can he betray me at this time? How can he bring these strangers into my room?
“I want to say to him: I always try to lift you up, towards the light. You chose the depths of the darkness of human nature. You are the one who did this.”
Most of the alleged rapes were recorded.
Most of the defendants deny that they raped Gisèle, and say that they will not be guilty because they did not know that she was unconscious and therefore “did not know” that they were raping her.
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