Man Allegedly Drugged His Wife and Invited 50+ Men to Rape Her: A Chilling Tale of Brutality

In a chilling tale of brutality, a 72-year-old French woman, Gisele Pelicot, has testified against her husband, Dominique Pelicot, 71, who allegedly drugged her and invited dozens of men to rape her over a period of nearly a decade. The horrific crimes took place in their home in a village in southern France between 2011 and 2020.

According to reports, Dominique Pelicot would crush sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication and mix them into his wife's meal or wine before inviting men to rape her. He would then contact the men through an online chatroom and film the assaults, storing thousands of images and videos on a USB drive labelled "abuses".

Gisele Pelicot's Testimony: "I Was Sacrificed on the Altar of Vice"

In a calm and clear voice, Gisele Pelicot detailed the horror she endured to the court in Avignon. She described being treated "like a rag doll" and "sacrificed on the altar of vice" by the men who raped her. When you see that woman drugged, mistreated, a dead person on a bed – of course, the body is not cold, it’s warm, but it’s as if I’m dead,” she told the court.

"For me, everything collapses. These are scenes of barbarity, of rape," Pelicot testified, as reported by The Independent. She added, "I no longer have an identity. I don't know if I will ever rebuild myself."

Pelicot also revealed that she was abused at least six times by a man known to have HIV, putting her life in danger. "My life was in danger but not one second did anyone stop... I was tested for HIV as one man who came (to rape me) six times was seropositive," she told the court, as reported by the New York Post.

Her husband admitted guilt in court this week, answering “yes” when asked if he was responsible for drugging and assaulting his wife. His lawyer stated that after his arrest, he consistently confessed his crimes, saying: “I put her to sleep, I offered her, and I filmed.”

Police Investigation Uncovers the Abuse

The police investigation into Dominique Pelicot began in November 2020 when he was caught by a security guard filming up the skirts of women at a supermarket near their home. A search of his computer led to the discovery of the horrific crimes.

"The police saved my life," Gisele Pelicot said, describing the moment investigators showed her the videos and images of the sexual abuse orchestrated and filmed by her husband as "an explosion, a tsunami".

According to police, from 2011 to 2020, Dominique Pélicot crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication, mixing them into his wife’s evening meals or wine at their home in Mazan, near Carpentras in Provence. He then recruited men through an online chatroom where members discussed their preferences for non-consenting partners to rape and abuse her.

Investigators revealed that the men recruited by Pélicot were instructed to avoid any scent of fragrance or cigarette smoke to prevent detection and to leave if his wife moved even slightly.

Fifty-One Men on Trial

Dominique Pelicot, along with 50 other men aged between 26 and 74, are currently on trial for the crimes. While Pelicot and 14 other co-accused have admitted to rape, 35 men from various walks of life have denied the charges, claiming the woman was in some way consented to libertine sex, as reported by The Telegraph.

Gisele Pelicot rejected the argument that any of the men were manipulated or trapped, stating, "These men entered my home, respected the imposed protocol. They did not rape me with a gun to the head. They raped me in all conscience."

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A Call for Justice and Awareness

Gisele Pelicot's testimony has shed light on the horrific abuse she endured for years at the hands of her husband and the men he invited to rape her. Her courage in speaking out and waiving her legal right to anonymity aims to raise awareness about the dangers of sexual crimes through chemical submission and to seek justice for the trauma inflicted upon her.

As the trial continues, the world watches in horror, hoping that the perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions and that Gisele Pelicot can begin the long process of healing and rebuilding her life.

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