A French court on Thursday sentenced the former husband of Gisèle Pelicot to 20 years in prison after finding him guilty of aggravated rape. Gisèle's ex-husband admitted to drugging and raping her repeatedly over nearly a decade and inviting dozens of other men to assault her as well. The sentence represents the maximum penalty for the crime.
Throughout the trial, Gisèle, who insisted on having her full name and the court proceedings made public, was lauded for her bravery. She has become a prominent symbol in the global fight against sexual violence.
Roger Arata, the lead judge at the Avignon court in southeastern France, also announced verdicts for 49 other men accused of raping Gisèle at her husband's invitation, and another man charged with aggravated sexual assault. All were found guilty, though one conviction was reduced from rape to sexual assault. The sentences ranged from three to 15 years, with two suspended.
Gisèle arrived at court to supportive crowds holding signs with messages like, "Thank you for your courage." She and her daughters were present in the courtroom as the verdicts were delivered.
Since the trial began on Sept. 2, Gisèle faced her former husband, Dominique, nearly every day, along with some of the 50 other men charged with assaulting her. She insisted that video evidence, recorded by Dominique and showing men assaulting her while she appeared unconscious, be played in court.
Dominique Pelicot was also convicted of attempted aggravated rape of another woman, Cillia, the wife of co-defendant Jean Pierre Marechal, as well as for taking indecent images of his daughter, Caroline, and his daughters-in-law, Celine and Aurore. According to the BBC, Dominique showed no emotion as the verdicts were read.
The assaults occurred between 2011 and 2020, ending when Dominique Pelicot was taken into custody. During their investigation, police discovered thousands of photos and videos of the abuse stored on his computer drives, which ultimately helped identify other suspects. In court, some of the men claimed they believed the unconscious woman had consented or that her husband's permission justified their actions.
