'Monster of Avignon' rape trial: French woman addresses abusive ex-husband for the first time in court

The French pistillate astatine the centre of the “Monster of Avignon” aggregate rape trial has addressed her abusive ex-husband for the archetypal clip successful court, saying: “You chose the depths of the quality soul.”

Gisèle Pélicot, 72, was speaking connected Wednesday, arsenic she erstwhile much gave grounds that could spot Dominique Pélicot, 71, jailed for life, on with 50 different men.

All are accused of “aggravated rape”, portion Pélicot has admitted drugging his woman and past violating her continually implicit a ten-year period.

The proceedings astatine the Vaucluse Criminal Court, successful Avignon, has seen the alleged “Monster of Avignon” portrayed arsenic 1 of the worst enactment offenders successful caller French history.

On the 35th time of the trial, Ms Pélicot said: “I look to talk large and wide – I americium not expressing my choler oregon my hatred, but my volition and my determination to alteration this society.

“I wanted each women who were victims of rape to beryllium capable to accidental to themselves that Ms Pélicot did it, truthful we tin bash it.

“When we are raped, we are ashamed, but it is not up to america to beryllium ashamed, it is up to them to beryllium ashamed.

“I americium a wholly destroyed pistillate and I don’t cognize however I tin retrieve from this.

“Before continuing, I would similar to code Mr Pélicot. I won’t beryllium capable to look astatine him, the affectional load is excessively much. Fifty years lived with this gentleman. I would similar to telephone him Dominique today.

“So galore times, I told myself that I was fortunate to person you by my side.”

She initially praised Pélicot for initally sticking with her during aboriginal suspicions of neurological problems, which were successful information caused by the drugs helium was secretly feeding her.

“He took maine to the neurologist, for scans erstwhile I was worried,” said Ms Pélicot. “He besides accompanied maine to the gynecologist. For me, helium was idiosyncratic I had implicit spot in.

“I don’t recognize however helium could person got to this point. And I’m going to archer him: I’ve ever tried to propulsion you up, towards the light. You chose the depths of the quality soul. You’re the 1 who chose.”

Between 2011 and 2020, Ms Pélicot suffered a slightest 92 acts of rape by much than 80 men, 50 of whom are present facing justice.

Saying that “she couldn’t look astatine him,” Ms Pélicot added: “The rapist is not the 1 you conscionable successful a parking lot, precocious astatine night. He tin besides beryllium successful the family, among friends.

Ms Pélicot continued: “I’m trying to recognize however this husband, who was the cleanable man, could person ended up similar this.

“How my beingness could person turned upside down. How could you person fto these individuals into our location erstwhile you knew of my aversion to swinging. For me, this betrayal is immeasurable.”

Speaking successful much wide terms, Ms Pélicot said she did not regret renouncing her close to anonymity successful court.

She said: “Since September 2, I person not regretted having fixed up connected the closed-door hearing, rather the contrary.

“I did it due to the fact that this matter should ne'er hap again and my illustration should service arsenic a usher for others.

“I’m told I person courage. It’s not courage, it’s volition and determination to marque this nine evolve.”

At 1 point, Ms Pélicot suggested that her hubby mightiness person been taking revenge against her for having an matter 3 decades ago.

“Yes, helium truly suffered from the affair. I wondered if helium wasn’t taking revenge,” she said.

“But astir 30 years later, that’s wherever I don’t understand. We talked astir it a batch astatine the time, helium besides had mistresses.”

Ms Pélicot besides referenced being regularly knocked retired by her husband, but said she had nary thought however the drugs worked.

“The lone happening I retrieve is pushing unfastened the doorway to the surviving country and past going black,” she daid.

“He could precise good person enactment the medicine successful my orangish foodstuff oregon successful my coffee.”

She said her hubby was besides ever making meals for her. “Mr Pélicot prepared a batch of meals,” she said.

Pélicot was archetypal arrested successful September 2020 for secretly filming up women’s skirts astatine a supermarket successful Carpentras.

His devices were searched, and determination were hundreds of pornographic videos and photos of women.

It was portion successful custody that Mr Pélicot reported a hard drive, hidden nether a printer, which contained a record called ‘Abuses’.

It classified the nickname and telephone numbers of attackers, unneurotic with immoderate 3,800 photos and videos of Gisèle Pélicot being raped.

Pélicot’s enactment ringing progressive advertizing connected a tract for “partners” connected an online forum called “Without Her Knowing” connected the coco.fr site.

Of the 83 men involved, 51 aged betwixt 26 and 73 were identified and arrested by the police.

Pélicot is said to person sedated his woman by putting Temesta – a almighty anxiolytic – into her evening dinner.

Alleged rapists progressive successful the lawsuit see civilian servants, ambulance workers, soldiers, situation guards, nurses, a journalist, a municipal councillor, and motortruck drivers.

In a abstracted case, Pélicot has been charged with raping and murdering a 23-year-old property cause successful Paris successful 1991.

He has admitted 1 attempted rape successful 1999, aft DNA investigating proved a lawsuit against him.

The Avignon aggravated rape lawsuit is owed to past until December 21.

Fourteen of the different defendants person besides admitted rape, portion the remainder contradict immoderate wrongdoing.