French man organized rapes of his own wife with 51 other men in Avignon

avignon - A shocking case in Avignon reveals how Dominique Pelicot drugged his wife Gisèle Pelicot for nearly a decade to allow himself and other men to rape her, as the trial continues with 51 other defendants.

A shocking case in Avignon, France, has come to light where Dominique Pelicot is accused of drugging his wife Gisèle Pelicot over a period of nine years to allow himself and more than 51 other men to rape her. The abuse was organized through an offline dating site where the men would chat about sexual violence. The men, ranging from 27 to 74 years old, all lived within 50 kilometers of the Pelicots' residence in the village of Mazan. The conversations, initially held on the dating site Coco.fr, would later move to Skype where Pelicot would conduct preparatory video calls with the interested men, showing them his drugged wife. Pelicot would also send intimate photos and videos of Gisèle, sometimes from previous assaults. The trial has revealed shocking text messages exchanged between Pelicot and the men involved, showcasing the extent of the abuse that took place.

Without his wife's knowledge, Dominique Pelicot managed to orchestrate the abuse for years until he was caught filming under a woman's skirt in a supermarket in September 2020. This incident led to his arrest and subsequent investigation, uncovering the disturbing truth behind his actions. Throughout the trial, Pelicot has pleaded guilty to his crimes, admitting to drugging his wife with a powerful cocktail of sleeping pills and anxiety medication. The punishment for these heinous acts could lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison for Pelicot.