Eyes wide shut: Wife of 50 years “sacrificed on the altar of vice”

The trial of Dominique Pelicot, a French 71-year-old retired electrician who had administered prescribed medication to his wife, Gisèle, in order to render her unconscious, enabling him to rape her and invite other men to sexually assault her, is bound to be an unusual one, not only due to the horrendous circumstances of the case, but also due to the publicity, controversy, and unrest it will inevitably cause as a public trial.

Using approximately 20,000 pictures taken by Mr. Pelicot in the course of the assaults, which occurred between 2011 and 2020, the police determined 72 men had been involved, 50 of whom are now on trial side by side with Mr. Pelicot.

Usually, for the benefit of both victim and defendant, a case involving sexual offences will proceed to court not publicly, but behind closed doors. The court will follow special procedures to ensure the emotional burden placed on the victim during the trial, particularly during witness examination and cross-examination, is reduced so far as practicable. However, Ms. Pelicot asked for a public trial, which, despite common practice and the prosecutor’s request, the court granted. Explaining her decision, Ms. Pelicot said, “I speak for all women who are drugged and don’t know about it, I do it on behalf of all women who will perhaps never know”.

The trial is expected to continue until December. The Pelicot case is one of the latest in a succession of scandals raising awareness of sexual abuse in France during the last year. Whether the publicity consequent on a public trial is the key to reform and a reduction in the number of offences remains to be seen.

Source: https://www.vox.com/world-politics/370736/france-rape-case-gisele-dominique-pelicot-metoo