Gisele Pelicot rape case: Victim accuses dozens of men alleged to have raped her of ‘cowardice’
The Frenchwoman whose husband is on trial for inviting 50 men to rape her over a period of 10 years has accused them of “cowardice” and said they should have reported him to the police.
Gisele Pelicot, 71, has waived her right to anonymity and gave evidence for the third time in Avignon on Tuesday.
Her husband Dominique Pelicot, 72, has already admitted drugging and raping her, and allowing some 50 others to abuse her while she was unconscious.
Most of the other men deny rape, claiming they thought she was asleep as part of roleplay or they were forced to have sex with her by Mr Pelicot.
On Tuesday, Ms Pelicot told the courtroom: “For me, this is the trial of cowardice, there is no other way to describe it.”
She went on: “It is time for society to look at this macho, patriarchal society and change the way it looks at rape.
“Rape is rape. When you walk into a bedroom and see a motionless body, at what point [do you decide] not to react? Why did you not leave immediately to report it to the police?”
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Ms Pelicot has insisted her husband’s case is heard in public. It has caught global attention, particularly from women’s rights and domestic abuse campaigners.
She only found out about the abuse she suffered when police stumbled across photos and videos her husband had recorded of it.
On Monday her two sons – David, 50, and Florian, 38, testified against their father.
Ms Pelicot’s sons David and Florian in court. Pic: Reuters
The eldest son described him as the “devil” and said that he wanted to vomit when his mother told him what she had suffered.
His younger brother told how he “lost his father” and his children “lost their grandfather” when the rapes came to light four years ago.
David Pelicot also accused his father of taking nude photos of his own wife while she was pregnant, and said he believed his sister’s claims he had drugged her to take photos of her in her underwear.
Dominique Pelicot has previously confessed to all the charges, telling the court: “I am a rapist just like all the others in this room.”
He is due to give evidence again this week, with his lawyer telling reporters he is “very dejected”.
The trial continues.
