Gisele Pelicot: Husband 'destroyed' and betrayed me, says woman at centre of France mass rape trial

The woman at the centre of a mass rape trial in France has said she cannot comprehend how the "perfect man" betrayed her - as she spoke in court for the first time.

Gisele Pelicot, 72, was sedated and raped by her former husband Dominique Pelicot.

For almost a decade, he crushed sleeping pills and other anti-anxiety drugs into her food and drink and allegedly recruited men online to rape her.

He's already admitted his crimes, carried out between 2011 and 2020, and said he organised dozens of men to come to the house and rape her while she was comatose.

Supported by family, Ms Pelicot was applauded as she arrived at court on Wednesday.

She spoke directly to her ex-husband during the testimony

"I still don't understand how this man who was the perfect man could do this, could destroy my life and betray me," she said.

"I haven't been able to look Dominique Pelicot in the face - but today I talk to him," she said as part of a statement at the mid-point of the trial.

"We have 50 years together. I was a happy wife; we have three kids and seven grandkids.

"You were a good husband and a good man, and I trusted you. I never doubted you," she said, beginning to cry.

But this good man, she told the court, was responsible for her being raped 100 times.

Ms Pelicot expressed anger and disbelief that he allegedly allowed people in their bedroom when he knew she was against swinging.

When she became sick, he accompanied her to the gynaecologist but nobody suspected a thing, she told the court.

"My life has been turned upside down. You chose to do this," she told him.

The judge asked about their mealtime routine, referring to evidence that Dominique Pelicot had slipped drugs into her food.

Gisele Pelicot said he had made lots of meals and often brought her ice cream afterwards.

"I thought 'wow', I'm lucky to have a husband who looks after me like this," she told the court, explaining she was totally unaware the food was drugged.

She said she must have fallen asleep quickly, as she often woke up tired and in her pyjamas.

If she was raped in the day, she said her husband must have drugged her orange juice.

During questioning, she was asked if she thought her ex-husband had acted out of vengeance.

She said she had considered he might have been trying to punish her after she had a lover once in their relationship, around 30 years ago.

Ms Pelicot also said her former husband had talked about mistresses.

Forty-nine of the 51 men on trial, including Dominique Pelicot, are accused of rape, one of attempted rape and one of sexual assault.

A few admit the charges but say they did not intend to commit rape.

Most, however, deny the allegations, with some claiming they believed they were part of a game between the couple.

The men are aged between 26 and 74 and most lived in southeast France. Among them are a journalist, soldier and lorry driver.

They face up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

'I am a destroyed woman'

Gisele Pelicot said she had waived her right to anonymity and allowed videos of the attacks to be shown in court because "it makes people see the truth".

During her statement, she also addressed the women who had given evidence in support of the co-defendants.

"When I hear mothers, sisters and partners talk about their men as normal... the profile of a rapist can be normal, can be a friend or a family man," she said.

"Can you imagine what that does to me? That I was accused of pretending to be asleep and that I was aware of what was happening. It's violent."

She said she was a "destroyed woman" and was getting psychological help.

Despite the trauma, she said she wanted to offer hope and strength to other victims: "I wanted that all victims of rape could say, 'well if Gisele can do it, we can do it'.

"Because when we are raped, we have shame, but it's not for us to be ashamed, but for those men," she declared.

She said she was hurt when a defence lawyer asked her at what point the sexual activity was rape.

"They did this to an unconscious woman. Rape is a rape," she said, becoming emotional.

Reacting to some defendants apologising, she said it would have been apparent when they touched her that she was not conscious.

"They are apologising to themselves, not to me," she said.

'He found sex elsewhere'

Earlier on Wednesday, the court heard from the partners of some of the men accused of raping the 72-year-old.

The wife of one said that because she refused him sex "he found it elsewhere".

The 45-year-old described her husband Jean Luc-L as "a good husband and father".

She said their life was normal, adding: "He never hit me. I often refused sex. He insisted but then if I refused, he would be unhappy and then leave".

Recalling when police told her about the claims, the mother of two said: "I was in shock, but I think that because I refused him sex, as a man, that's why he found it elsewhere."

Hearing the comment, Ms Pelicot expressed surprise through her lawyer.

"I understand Gisele's position," the co-defendant's wife said.

The lawyer asked her about Ms Pelicot's surprise at her comment: "It's because I kept refusing and for a long time," she replied, prompting audible gasps from some in court.

"I understand what my husband did to Gisele is unacceptable and I share her pain," she said.

The woman said she had not left her husband and still visited him in prison.

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Another woman, the ex-partner of Florian R, described him as "a normal guy".

"We were good, we were normal," she said, explaining they have children but split up in 2019.

The 37-year-old said their sex life had been "normal", "basic" and did not involve fantasies.

Talking about when she heard he was being investigated, she said: "Initially I thought he was in trouble with the police because he was with a girl who I thought was too young… she was 14 years old."

She said they still talked on the phone due to their children, who she had taken to visit him in jail.

The trial in Avignon is expected to continue until the end of the year.

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