A 72-year-old French woman was allegedly raped hundreds of times by her husband and dozens of strangers. The details of the case shocked France. Now the woman has testified in court for the first time.
In a sensational trial in France, the woman who, according to the public prosecutor, was drugged by her husband for years and offered to strangers for rape has testified. Gisèle P. says she only found out about the crimes four years ago when her husband became the target of the justice system. “My world has collapsed, everything has collapsed,” she said in her first statement in the trial against her husband and 50 other defendants.
The investigators had seized thousands of photos and videos of the rapes on Dominique P.'s computer. “I'm lying motionless in bed and I'm being raped. These are barbaric scenes,” the 72-year-old said in court. “For me, these are horror scenes.” The men treated her “like a rag doll, like a garbage bag.”
50 alleged rapists in court
She is currently divorcing Dominique P., who listened to her testimony with his head bowed in the courtroom in Avignon, southern France. The authorities became aware of the 71-year-old in 2020 after he filmed women up their skirts in a shopping center. During subsequent searches, investigators found photos and videos showing a total of around 200 rapes over a period of almost ten years.
According to the public prosecutor's office, most of the rapes were committed by her husband. In 92 cases, however, strangers were the perpetrators. Dominique P. confessed during questioning that he had drugged his wife with a strong painkiller and then had her raped by men he had found on a website that has since been banned. His wife was unconscious during the crimes.
“Ten years of my life lost”
With the help of the videos, investigators were able to identify and charge 50 of the men. In addition to Dominique P., 14 of them pleaded guilty in court. The rest deny the charges. Gisèle P. addressed the defendants directly in the courtroom: “Take responsibility for your actions at least once in your life,” she demanded.
The details and seriousness of the case shocked France. Gisèle P. explained in court that she had opposed a closed trial in order to give a face to victims of rape under the influence of date rape drugs and other narcotics.
I speak for all the women who are drugged and don't know it, I speak for all the women who may never know.
She herself lost ten years of her life because of her husband's crimes, which she will never get back. The police officers who noticed her husband saved her life.
Dominique P. and the other defendants face up to 20 years in prison. The trial began on Monday and is scheduled to last until December 20.
