A disturbing case of sexual abuse in France has ignited a nationwide conversation about violence against women.
At the center of this case is 71-year-old Dominique Pelicot, accused of drugging and raping his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, for years while inviting dozens of other men to assault her while she was unconscious. Dominique Pelicot, who has confessed to these horrific acts spanning over a decade, is now on trial along with 50 other men. Some of these men have admitted their guilt, while others deny the charges.
Despite the option of a private trial, Gisèle Pelicot chose to make her case public to raise awareness for other victims of similar crimes. “I am speaking on behalf of all women who are drugged and have no idea, for all those who might never know,” she stated. Police have uncovered 20,000 images from Dominique Pelicot’s collection, identifying 72 men involved in the assaults between 2011 and 2020.
This case has sparked outrage across France, occurring at a time when the country is increasingly grappling with accountability for sexual misconduct. As reported by The New York Times, the #MeToo movement in France had previously struggled to gain momentum in sectors like the film industry. However, that began to change when prominent actress and director Judith Godrèche spoke out earlier this year. France has long been known for its different approach to issues of sexual morality compared to the U.S., but attitudes seem to be shifting in 2024.
The Case in Detail
The abuse was first uncovered in November 2020 when Dominique Pelicot was investigated for taking inappropriate photos of women at a supermarket near the couple’s home in southeastern France. When police searched his computer, they found a folder labeled “Abuses” on a USB drive containing thousands of images and videos of Pelicot and other men raping his wife.
“I felt like my world was shattered,” Gisèle Pelicot recalled after learning what her husband had done.
For years, Gisèle experienced memory lapses, unexplained hair loss, and weight loss, which she feared were symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. In reality, her husband had been drugging her with a cocktail of medications, including the sedative Temesta, to keep her unconscious during the assaults. Pelicot had recruited men through an online message board called “Without their knowledge” on a now-defunct website, Coco, which was notorious for hosting illegal activities.
In his disturbing posts, Pelicot provided instructions to the men, cautioning them not to wear perfume or smoke to avoid raising his wife’s suspicions. The identities of the defendants, ranging in age from 26 to 74, have not been revealed, but they come from a variety of professions, including firefighters, journalists, and soldiers.
Shockingly, during the investigation, police also uncovered nude photos of the couple’s daughter, Caroline Darian, on Pelicot’s computer.
The Impact So Far
Last week, both Gisèle Pelicot and Caroline Darian gave emotional testimony during the trial. “These videos and photos are a nightmare for me,” Gisèle said, describing how her husband documented the rapes. “They treated me like a rag doll.”
For much of their 50-year marriage, Gisèle believed she and Dominique shared a close relationship. Dominique later admitted to a psychologist that he had assaulted his wife because she rejected the idea of swinging with other couples.
By making her identity public, Gisèle hopes to empower other survivors and break the silence around sexual abuse. Remaining anonymous, her lawyers argue, would have played into the hands of her abusers.
Darian also expressed her devastation, labeling her father “the worst sexual predator of the last 20 years.” Both mother and daughter fear they may never recover from the trauma. “I no longer know who I am. I don’t know if I’ll ever be whole again,” Gisèle lamented.
The defendants face charges of aggravated rape or attempted rape, and if convicted, many could spend up to 20 years in prison. The trial is set to continue until December as groups of defendants testify.
A Broader Reflection on Sexual Misconduct in France
The Pelicot case is the latest in a series of incidents highlighting the ongoing issue of sexual abuse in France. This year, numerous allegations of misconduct by prominent French actors and directors have come to light, further intensifying the national conversation.
Since February, several high-profile actresses, including Godrèche, have shared their experiences of being assaulted by directors in their teenage years. Godrèche's speech at the César Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, received a standing ovation, marking a significant cultural shift.
“After years of the #MeToo movement thriving in the U.S. while struggling in France, this moment showed that the tide might be turning,” wrote French journalist Rokhaya Diallo in The Washington Post.
Although France has historically been slower to confront sexual misconduct than the U.S., the Pelicot case, along with allegations against actor Gérard Depardieu, has drawn new attention to the issue. Women’s rights advocates are pushing for the legal definition of rape to include the concept of consent—something French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed support for. Currently, French law defines rape as an act of sexual penetration committed with “violence, coercion, threat, or surprise.”
Laura Frader, a professor of history emerita at Northeastern University, told Vox, “While skepticism about the legitimacy of sexual assault claims may have been stronger in France than in the U.S., attitudes are shifting rapidly, especially among younger women and feminists who are unafraid to confront these issues head-on. The Pelicot case is sure to accelerate that shift.”
The Dominique Pelicot case has sent shockwaves through France, sparking intense discussions about sexual violence and abuse. As the trial continues, the broader societal implications of the case are already making themselves felt, driving conversations about consent, legal reforms, and the treatment of survivors. This case could prove to be a pivotal moment in France’s reckoning with sexual misconduct.