AVIGNON, France (AP) — A man accused of drugging his then-wife and inviting her dozens of men to rape her testifies in court in southern France on Tuesday in a case that has shocked the country.
Dominique Pélicot, now 71, faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. Although he previously confessed to investigators, the court’s testimony will be crucial as a panel of judges decides the fate of about 50 other men on trial alongside him, all accused of raping Gisèle Pélicot.
Many also hope that his testimony will shed some light on the matter, and that it may help understand the unthinkable.
Gisèle Pélicot, who has become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence in France because she agreed to give up her anonymity in the case and make the trial public, is expected to speak in court on Tuesday after her ex-husband’s testimony.
Bernadette Tessonière, a 69-year-old retiree who lives a half-hour drive from Avignon, where the trial is taking place, arrived outside the courthouse at 7:15 a.m. to ensure she would get a spot in the closely watched case.
“How is it possible that in 50 years of community life you can live next to someone who hides his life so well? This is scary,” she said, standing in a line outside the courthouse. “I don’t have much hope that what he did can be explained, but he’s going to give some elements at least.”
Pélicot’s long-awaited testimony was delayed for days after he fell ill with a kidney stone and a urinary tract infection, his lawyers said.
A security guard caught Pélicot taking videos up women’s skirts in a supermarket in 2020, according to court documents. Police searched Pélicot’s home and electronic devices and found thousands of photos and videos of men performing sex acts on Gisèle Pélicot as she appeared to be unconscious on their bed.
Thanks to the recordings, the police were able to track down most of the 72 suspects.
She and her husband of 50 had three children. When they retired, the couple left the Paris region to move to a house in Mazan, a small town in Provence.
When police officers called her in for questioning in late 2020, she initially told them her husband was “a great guy,” according to legal documents. They then showed her some photos. She left her husband, and they are now divorced.
In addition to Pélicot, 50 other men, ranging in age from 26 to 74, are on trial. Many deny raping Pélicot, say they were manipulated by her ex-husband or believe she gave consent.