With imposing serenity and moving determination, Gisele Pelicot, 71 years old, addressed the criminal court of Avignonin the south of Franceto recount the horror of a decade of abuse. Her statement marked the fourth day of the trial in which 51 men, including her husband, Dominique Pelicot, face rape charges.
The case, which shocked Francecame to light in 2020 when Dominique Pelicot was caught filming under women’s skirts in a shopping centre. Later, the researchers They discovered in his possession almost four thousand photos and videos of Gisèle, visibly unconscious, a victim of rape by numerous unknowns.
“My world is collapsing, everything I built for 50 years,” he said. Gisele before the magistrates, while he recalled the moment when the police showed him the images. His account detailed scenes of graphic violence, in which she appears motionless while being attacked by other men.
During the trial, Gisele She expressed her refusal to watch videos of the approximately 200 rapes she suffered in the region of Paris and Mazan, in the south of France. “I am treated like a rag doll,” she said, lamenting that despite exposure to the risks of serious infections, she contracted four sexually transmitted infections but was miraculously spared from more serious illnesses.
Some of the accused claim that they were unaware of Gisèle’s condition and believed that the situation was part of a debauched lifestyle, but Pelicot strongly contradicts this.
The defendants, who face up to 20 years in prison, will have to justify their actions during the trial, which will continue until December 20. Gisèle’s lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, anticipated that Gisèle’s husband “broke down” during the recess, and stressed that the defense will have to offer explanations for his unforgivable acts.
Although his family had initially requested anonymity, the lawyers decided that the surname of Gisèle was published, underlining her children’s pride in their mother’s courage..
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2024-09-10 13:58:25