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OAN Staff Abril Elfi
11:32 AM – Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Dominique Pelicot, the man accused of continuously drugging his wife and sexually abusing her along with dozens of other men “for over 10 years,” has admitted to all charges against him, stating in court “I am a rapist.”
On Tuesday, Pelicot, 71, appeared in court as he now faces multiple charges that include gang rape and privacy breaches by recording and disseminating sexually provocative images.
Pelicot’s lawyer explained that since his client was on a cocktail of pills for his heath, that he should be allowed to take breaks to lie down throughout the day while in court, which the court granted.
“I am a rapist just like all the others in this room,” Pelicot said in court, adding, “I ask my wife, my children, my grandchildren to accept my apologies. I regret what I did. I ask for your forgiveness, even if it is not forgivable.”
The case shocked the country, resulting in nationwide protests in support of Pelicot’s wife, Gisele, as well as protests against sexual violence perpetrated by men.
Pelicot argued to the court that he had a difficult upbringing and was a prior victim of rape himself, seemingly excusing his long-standing illegal acts.
Gisele Pelicot was also in the courtroom during his appearance on the stand, and she was applauded by onlookers whenever she would leave during courtroom breaks. She reportedly began filing divorce paperwork after meeting with investigators involved in the case.
One of the lawyers asked Dominique if he thinks he could win back his former partner, to which he responded: “It is important to have hope. Otherwise, it’s over … I was traumatized. It’s in part thanks to her that I forgot these bad moments in my life.”
Dominique was initially arrested after he was caught filming up another woman’s skirt while in a supermarket.
Prosecutors also stated that he would offer sex with his wife on a website named “Coco” and would film himself abusing her.
“French law enforcement has shut down the chat website Coco, which authorities said has allowed offenders to coordinate child sexual abuse, rapes, homicides and other serious crimes… The website is no longer available and only displays a seizure notice from the French national police,” according to The Record outlet.
In addition to Dominique, 50 other men, ranging in ages from 26 to 73, are on trial for raping the French woman as well. However, Dominique claims that 72 men altogether participated in the abuse of his then-wife.
While some of the defendants admitted guilt to investigators, others claimed they were acting out a “couple’s fantasy” and that Gisele Pelicot had actually consented to sex, or they at least believed that she had consented at the time.
“When they came, they already knew everything. They all knew how this went about before the meetings,” said Pelicot. “I want to prove that my wife was a victim and not an accomplice, to prove that this was completely without her knowledge.”
According to a court document, investigators discovered 300 photographs and video of the acts and filed them in folders labeled “Abuse,” among others.
Gisele told investigators that she often had memory lapses and that she had gone to see a gynecologist for unexplained vaginal pain.
The trial is scheduled to last through December. If found guilty, the defendants could face up to 20 years in jail.
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