Gisele Pelicot on why she wanted her husband's rape trial open to public

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Man admits drugging, raping woman astatine proceedings

Man admits drugging, raping woman astatine proceedings successful France 01:39

Gisele Pelicot, nan female astatine nan halfway of nan mass-rape proceedings that's shocked her ain country of France and nan world, told her hubby successful tribunal connected Wednesday that she still "did not understand why" he had drugged and raped her for astir a decade, on pinch dozens of different men he invited into their home.

"My life has crumbled to nothing," she told nan tribunal successful Avignon arsenic her hubby Dominique hung his head. "I ever tried to assistance you up. You reached nan lowest depths of nan quality psyche — but unfortunately, it was you who made that choice."

"I don't cognize really I'm going to rebuild myself, get complete each this," she said Wednesday. "At almost 72 years old, I don't cognize if I person capable life to get backmost connected my feet."

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Dominique Pelicot has admitted to drugging his wife regularly betwixt 2011 and 2020 truthful that he and dozens of different men could rape her.

The youngest of nan different 49 defendants, Joan K., who was 22 astatine nan time, was absent for nan commencement of his girl erstwhile 1 of his alleged assaults was said to person taken place, nan French news agency AFP cited prosecutors arsenic saying during nan trial.

"It's not for america to consciousness shame"

Gisele Pelicot has been revered successful France and astir nan world for insisting nan proceedings beryllium held unfastened to nan nationalist - which is not, by default, really intersexual battle cases are handled successful France.

She said successful tribunal Wednesday, according to French newspaper Le Monde, that she wanted nan proceedings to beryllium nationalist successful nan dream that "all women who are victims of rape tin opportunity to themselves: 'Madame Pelicot did it, truthful we tin do it."'

"I don't want them to consciousness ashamed anymore. It's not for america to consciousness shame — it's for them [sexual attackers]," she said. "Above all, I'm expressing my will and determination to alteration this society."

She went into harrowing item astir really her hubby had slipped narcotics into her food.

Courtroom sketch of Dominique Pelicot, who appears astatine nan courthouse successful Avignon

"We would person a solid of achromatic vino together. I ne'er recovered thing unusual astir my potatoes," she told nan tribunal while reportedly refusing to look astatine Dominique. "We vanished eating. Often erstwhile it's a shot lucifer connected TV, I'd fto him watch it alone. He brought my crystal pick to my bed, wherever I was. My favourite spirit — raspberry — and I thought: 'How fortunate I am. He's a love.'"

"I ne'er felt my bosom flutter. I didn't consciousness anything. I must person gone nether very quickly. I would aftermath up pinch my pajamas on," she said, adding that she would sometimes aftermath up "more tired than usual, but I locomotion a batch and thought it was that."

"I'm trying to understand," she said, "how this husband, who was nan cleanable man, could person sewage to this."

"No imaginable defense"

The trial, which is owed to proceed until Dec. 20, has triggered protests crossed France. On Saturday, protesters gathered extracurricular dozens of courts to denounce "rape culture" successful France.

There's dream among immoderate demonstrators that nan Pelicot lawsuit could lead to changes successful arguable French laws governing intersexual consent.

Until different high-profile rape proceedings successful 1980 triggered a change, nan crime of rape successful France had been narrowly defined by a Napoleon-era rule arsenic "illicit coitus pinch a female who is known not to consent," according to France's nationalist power broadcaster RFI.

Only successful 2021 did France present a ineligible property of intersexual consent — and only aft a public outcry complete nan rape of an 11-year-old schoolgirl by a man who was initially convicted only connected nan lesser complaint of intersexual assault.

An big having activity pinch anyone nether nan property of 15 has been viewed arsenic non-consensual since that rule was changed. Unlike galore European countries, however, French rule still does not mention to consent successful cases involving older victims.

French rule defines rape arsenic penetration aliases oral activity utilizing "violence, coercion, threat aliases surprise," according to nan Reuters news agency, but does not return consent into account. Prosecutors must, therefore, beryllium an volition to rape, ineligible experts told Reuters.

According to a study by nan Institute of Public Policies, conscionable 14% of rape accusations successful France lead to general investigations.

"Why don't we negociate to get convictions? The first logic is nan law," ineligible master Catherine Le Magueresse told Reuters. "The rule is written successful specified a measurement that victims must comply pinch nan stereotype of a 'good victim' and a 'true rape': an chartless attacker, usage of violence, and nan victim's resistance. But it is only existent for a number of rapes."

Lawyers for immoderate of Dominique Pelicot's 49 alleged accomplices — astir of whom person denied nan rape charges — person said they thought his woman was asleep, taking portion successful a fetish act, aliases that Dominique's consent was sufficient.

Gisele Pelicot's grounds connected Wednesday was nan 2nd clip she had addressed nan court. She told nan enclosure successful September that she felt "humiliated" by nan defendants' lawyers.

"I've been called an alcoholic. I'm said to beryllium Mr Pelicot's accomplice," she said, shouting: "Rape is rape!"

Gisele Pelicot was greeted upon her presence to nan tribunal connected Wednesday by a crowd offering applause and support, arsenic she has been astir days during nan trial.