Avignon, December 19, 2024: Dominique Pelicot, 72, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a horrific drugging and rape case involving his ex-wife, Gisele Pelicot. A French court found all 51 defendants guilty, with Pelicot admitting to drugging and raping Gisele over a decade, while offering her unconscious body to dozens of men he met online, recording the abuse.
The court handed down the maximum 20-year sentence for Dominique, while other defendants received shorter terms for rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault. Gisele, who waived her right to anonymity, courageously demanded that videos of the abuse be shown in court, hoping it would encourage other women to speak out.
The case, which surfaced in 2020, sparked protests across France and a debate on updating rape laws. Gisele, whose family disowned her father, remains determined to use her ordeal to help other victims. “It’s not courage, it’s determination to change things,” she said, emphasizing that this is a battle for all rape victims.
