For almost a decade, Gisèle Pelicot endured a nightmare she didn’t even know was happening.
The French mother and grandmother was repeatedly drugged and raped by her husband, Dominique Pelicot, who also invited strangers into the home to rape her whilst unconscious.
Gisèle wasn’t aware of the assaults — despite her declining health and mental cognition due to the repeated drugging — until police arrested Dominique for filming up women’s skirts in public.
It was then that his betrayal was uncovered, fastidiously filmed and documented by Dominique, and Gisèle was made aware of what happened.
Police alleged that as many as 72 men had gone to the house to abuse Gisèle, and 50 of them were identified and taken to court.
On December 19, a French court was finally able to find Dominique guilty. The court also found all 50 of Gisèle’s identified attackers guilty of various charges.
The case has horrified the country, shining a spotlight onto the treatment of women, and transformed the victim, Gisèle Pelicot, into a stirring symbol of courage and resilience, after she waived her anonymity to have the case heard publicly.
Source: Gisèle Pelicot case: Dominique Pelicot and 50 strangers found guilty.