For a Frenchman who for years let dozens of men rape his drugged wife and recorded it, the prosecutor’s office in the city of Avignon is asking for a prison sentence of 20 years. TASR informs about it on the basis of a report by the AFP agency.
The trial in the case of organizing the rape and sexual abuse of Gisele Pelicot, now the ex-wife of the main accused, began in September. 49 defendants appeared before the court in Avignon, southern France, another is being tried in absentia.
The case has sparked consternation, protests and debate in France about violence perpetrated by men. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated against violence against women across the country.
Even under the pressure of public reaction, prosecutor Laure Chabaudová declared in court on Monday that this trial must foreshadow a fundamental change in the relations between men and women.
The prosecutor acknowledged that a 20-year sentence for Pelicot may seem harsh given the life expectancy. She emphasized, however, that considering the seriousness of the acts that were committed, even repeatedly, this is a low sentence.
AFP added that Dominique Pelicot pleaded guilty to all the charges brought against him: in the years 2011-20, he drugged his wife with anti-anxiety drugs in their house in the village of Mazan, and then she was raped and abused by foreign men lured over the Internet. Pelicot documented their actions in photos and videos discovered by police after he was caught filming up the skirts of unsuspecting women in public.
Prosecutors still have to ask for sentences for the other defendants – they are men between the ages of 26 and 74 from all walks of life. Sentencing of the defendants is expected on December 20 at the latest.
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier called the trial in the Pelicot case a turning point in France’s efforts to combat violence against women. Barnier also spoke on the occasion of today’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, added AFP.
This trial made Gisele Pelicot an icon in the women’s fight against sexual abuse – because she insisted that court hearings be public.
Pelicotová was the victim of approximately 200 repeated rapes – half of which were attributed to her ex-husband, who took approximately 20,000 photos and videos of his and his co-accused’s actions. He made them without his wife’s knowledge.
