A French woman, identified only as Gisele P., has appeared in court to confront her husband, Dominique P., who is accused of drugging her into unconsciousness for ten years and orchestrating a rape ring involving numerous men.
The 72-year-old victim attended the trial’s first day in Avignon, southern France, accompanied by her three children. Gisele waived her right to anonymity, determined to face both her husband and the men who allegedly assaulted her.
Dominique P., 71, is accused of masterminding a disturbing scheme where he allegedly recruited men through an online forum to sexually assault his wife between 2011 and 2020.
He reportedly filmed these assaults, which involved at least 72 men, 51 of whom have been identified by police. Authorities believe these men committed a total of 92 rapes.
Despite the option to have the trial held in private, Gisele insisted on an open court to ensure full transparency, as she felt a closed trial would have favoured her attackers.
Her attorneys, Stephane Babonneau and Antoine Camus, emphasised her resolve to confront her abusers and the shock of discovering her ordeal only at the age of 68. Camus described the trial as a “horrible ordeal” for Gisele, who did not learn of the abuse until 2020.
The investigation into Dominique P. began when a security guard caught him filming up women’s skirts in a shopping centre in September 2020. This led to the discovery of thousands of images and videos showing Gisele being abused while unconscious. The evidence also included chats from the website used to recruit the men and Dominique’s admissions of drugging his wife with powerful tranquilisers.
The trial has revealed strict protocols Dominique enforced to ensure his wife remained unconscious, including prohibiting the alleged rapists from wearing aftershave or smoking, requiring them to wash their hands, and undressing in the kitchen.
Dominique also allegedly filmed the assaults and participated, encouraging degrading behaviour towards his wife.
The accused men, ranging from 21 to 68 years old, include a forklift driver, a firefighter, and a journalist. Some claimed they were merely helping a libertine couple, while Dominique maintained that the men were aware his wife was drugged.
Dominique’s lawyer, Beatrice Zavarro, has stated that her client is prepared to face his family and wife, expressing shame and acknowledgement of his actions.
In addition to the current charges, Dominique faces allegations of a 1991 rape and murder, which he denies, and a 1999 attempted rape, which he admits.
The trial has shocked France and drawn significant public attention. It is scheduled to continue until December.
