(LONDON) — Dominique Pelicot, 72, has been found guilty of all charges in the rape and drugging of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and on Thursday was given the maximum sentence of 20 years in the massive trial that has shaken France and shocked the world.
Dominique Pelicot and 50 co-defendants have all been found guilty, with all except one having been charged with rape. The co-defendants were each sentenced Thursday to between three and 15 years.
Gisèle Pelicot made a powerful statement to reporters at the courthouse in Avignon and spoke about her grandchildren, saying they are the “future” and that she led “this fight” for them. She also said her three children were high in her mind at the end of the trial.
She spoke of the profound emotion of the trial and expressed her support for all other victims of sexual abuse, saying they “share the same fight.” Gisèle also expressed her “profound gratitude” to those who have supported her throughout the trial.
She left the courthouse to cheers and applause from her supporters.
The trial began on Sept. 2. Hearings took place for nearly three months and included testimony from Gisèle Pelicot herself, who has become a feminist icon in France and across the world.
Prosecutors had demanded the maximum sentence of 20 years for Dominique Pelicot and 10 years or more for most of the other co-defendants. Dominique Pelicot had asked his family to “accept his apologies.”
Forty-nine of the 50 other co-defendants faced aggravated rape or attempted rape charges. One co-defendant was accused of sexual assault and could face up to four years in prison.
Dominique Pelicot testified during the trial in Avignon that he mixed sedatives into Gisèle Pelicot’s food and drink so he could rape her, and that he recruited at least 50 other men via an online chat forum and invited them over to the family home where they are alleged to have raped and sexually abused Gisèle Pelicot. Dominique acknowledged in court that he’s guilty of the allegations and that his co-defendants understood what they were doing, The Associated Press reported.
The alleged abuse took place for almost a decade in their home in Provence, from 2011 to 2020. Gisèle, 72, has since divorced her husband.
Most of the co-defendants denied intentionally raping Gisèle Pelicot and claimed they were tricked by Dominique Pelicot. None of the co-defendants disputed that they carried out sexual acts on Gisèle Pelicot, but many claimed throughout the trial that, at the time of the alleged rapes, they thought it was a type of fetish game and said they believed, at the time, that Gisèle Pelicot had consented.
Dominique Pélicot collected 20,000 photos and videos and stored the evidence, which later helped lead prosecutors to the 50 other defendants — “although about 20 others haven’t yet been identified,” The AP has reported.
She refused to stay anonymous, saying in court at one point during the hearings that she wants women who have been raped to know that “it’s not for us to have shame — it’s for them,” per The AP.
ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge and Hugo Leenhardt contributed to this report.
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