Scandal around Dominique Pelicot: 72 men, a victim - the shocking truth!

Scandal around Dominique Pelicot: 72 men, a victim - the shocking truth!

A shocking case of sexual abuse shakes France: Gisele Pelicot, 72, has been brutally abused by her ex-husband Dominique Pelicot and numerous accomplice.

In one of the most shocking sexual crimes in modern French history, over 50 men were condemned who were cruel in the rapes of Gisele Pelicot. The case that extended over a whole decade from 2011 to 2020 has put the nation into a shock state.

Dominique Pelicot, 72, the ex-husband of Gisele, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after stunning his wife for years and inviting men to their home to rape her. A court of five judges spoke the judgment, which represents the maximum possible punishment for this hideous act. Pelicot is only considered after two thirds of his prison sentence.

The cruel truth comes to light

The shocking details of the case were unveiled during the process. Gisele Pelicot lived with her husband in Mazan, a small community in Provence. What she thought was a loving relationship turned out to be a nightmare. Her husband confused her secretly sleeping pills and sedatives into her food to make her compliant.

While she was passed out, Pelicot recruited men about a chat platform that has now been closed to pass on his wife. Gisele was not aware of the cruel deeds that were committed to her and believed that she was suffering from a serious illness while her husband was misleading.

The police discovered the shocking evidence when Pelicot 2020 was caught in filming under skirts of women in a supermarket. In the search of his computer, the investigators found a collection of videos that documented the abuse.

The convicts: Who are the men?

A total of 51 men were convicted in this case, with 47 of them spoken guilty of rape. The perpetrators came from all social classes-from the truck driver to the banker. This frightening variety of perpetrators was referred to as the "Monsieur Tout-Le-Monde" or "Mr. Everyyman". There are also a journalist, an IT worker and a carpenter among the convicts.

• Jean-Pierre Marechal , 63, was sentenced to 12 years for attempted and severe rape after having misused his own wife for years.
• Lionel Rodriguez , 44, a supermarket employee, received 8 years in prison.
• Jacques Cubeau , 73, a former firefighter who believed that his deeds were mutually acceptable was sentenced to 5 years.
• Joan Kawai , 27, a soldier who missed the birth of his daughter because he abused Gisele for 10 years.
• Romain Vandevelde , 63, HIV-positive, was sentenced to 15 years-the highest punishment among the co-accused.
• Hassan Ouamou , 30, with 13 criminal records, was sentenced to 12 years after he had fled from France.

The public prosecutor had asked for prison terms between 10 and 18 years old, but many of the judgments were significantly milder.

The investigation has also led to the fact that old cases are rolled up again. It is believed that Pelicot may have been a series criminal who is responsible for further attacks. Two old cases, including a murder case from 1991, have now been reopened.