Gisèle Pelicot has given her first television interview since the conviction of her former husband for orchestrating a decade-long campaign of rape against her, revealing her continued quest for closure and the moment police exposed the crimes.
Dominique Pelicot was convicted by a court on 19 December 2024 of repeatedly drugging and raping his wife and inviting dozens of strangers to rape her while she was unconscious, as reported by Metro.
In the interview, the 73-year-old, who is soon to release her memoirs, stated that despite not addressing him during the trial, she wishes to confront him directly. “I want to look him directly in the eye and ask him, ‘Why did you do that?'” she said.
She recounted how a detective from the police first showed her photographic evidence of the assaults four years ago, which led to the investigation. “I froze,” she said, describing images of herself unconscious with an unknown man. “I don’t recognise myself in those photos… I think my brain disassociated.” Until that police visit, she had lived a normal life as a wife, mother, and grandmother.
The court process involved a public trial at her insistence, contrary to standard French procedure where victims’ names are withheld. She allowed journalists to publish her full name and permitted the court to exhibit explicit videos recorded by her husband, which showed men engaging in sexual intercourse with her while she was unconscious.
She explained her stance was in solidarity with other victims of sexual crimes. “I have decided not to be ashamed, I have done nothing wrong,” she previously told the court. “I’m not expressing hatred or hate, but I am determined that things change in this society.”
The prosecution case detailed how her convicted former husband recruited men online via a now-defunct website called Coco, using private chats to state he was “looking for someone to abuse my sleeping, drugged wife”. To facilitate the assaults, he crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication into her food and drinks.
Police and court evidence revealed he had no difficulty finding participants, with dozens of men aged between 26 and 74 taking part. Those accused included a nurse, a journalist, a prison warden, a local councillor, a soldier, lorry drivers, and farm workers.
Almost two years after the conviction, Gisèle Pelicot said she has met a new partner. “Meeting him was incredible. I met this man who’s also been through difficult times, and it’s changed our lives,” she stated, adding that she never thought she would fall in love again.
