Lawyers question if drugged French woman was unconscious, consented

Gisèle Pelicot, 72, delivered a powerful and defiant testimony on Wednesday, as defense lawyers in a landmark rape trial in Avignon, France, raised doubts about her awareness during the decade-long sexual assaults she endured. The defense suggested she may have consented to the repeated assaults orchestrated by her ex-husband, Dominique Pelicot, 71, but Gisèle vehemently denied this, recalling the humiliating and nightmarish ordeal she suffered.

“I have felt humiliated,” Gisèle said in response to defense claims that she may have been an alcoholic or complicit in her ex-husband’s crimes. “In the state I was in, I absolutely could not respond. I was in a comatose state; the videos show that.”

The case, which has shocked the nation, centers around the sexual abuse of Gisèle by at least 83 men between 2011 and 2020. Of these, 50 men have been identified and are currently on trial, accused of raping her. While many of the defendants deny the charges, videos and photographs discovered by police show the men assaulting an unconscious Gisèle.

Her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, who had drugged and raped her for years, testified earlier, admitting to his role and implicating his co-defendants. “I am a rapist, like the others in this room,” he confessed, stating that the men involved were fully aware of their actions.

“What are these men? Are they degenerates?” Gisèle asked in court, questioning why none of the men stopped when they saw her unconscious. “When they see a woman sleeping on her bed, no one thought to ask themselves a question? They don’t have brains?”

Despite the overwhelming evidence against them, some of the defendants argue that they were tricked by Dominique or believed Gisèle was consenting. Others shockingly claimed that her husband’s consent was sufficient. In a rare moment of acknowledgment, one of the accused, Lionel Rodriguez, 44, admitted to raping her, expressing remorse for his actions.

“I never told myself: I will rape that woman,” Rodriguez said. “But I’m guilty of rape.” Addressing Gisèle directly, he offered a tearful apology, acknowledging the horror she had lived through. “I know my apologies won’t change what happened, but I wanted to tell you that.”

Gisèle’s courage in attending the trial, which began on September 2, has been widely praised. By waiving her right to anonymity, she has become a vocal advocate for victims of sexual abuse in France, calling attention to the country’s deeply entrenched “rape culture.”

As the trial progresses, many view Gisèle as a symbol of resilience in the face of unspeakable trauma. Her testimony has highlighted not just the personal toll of her abuse, but the broader cultural and legal implications for addressing sexual violence in France.

The trial is expected to continue until December, with the accused facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted.