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Gisèle Pélicot and her daughter, Caroline Darian, after the day of the trial. (EFE)
Horror is taking over every corner of this story of abuse and sexual violence, that of Gisèle Pélicot, the French woman who was drugged for years by her ‘model’ husband so that other men could rape her while she was unconscious. This Friday, during the media-driven trial that paralyses France, it was the turn of Gisèle’s daughter and daughter-in-law to testify against Dominique Pélicot, father and son-in-law and main defendant in the case. And during their testimony, both stated that Dominique’s evil was not confined to the marriage, but that they suspect that they too were victims of his abuse.
According to AFP, Gisèle’s daughter, Caroline Darian, told the court, shaken and unable to hold back her tears, how everything changed forever on November 2, 2020, the day she learned of the actions of her father, who until then had been a person she trusted completely, healthy and kind, and who she now considers “one of the biggest sexual criminals of the last 20 years.” The story of a family collapsed on itself, victims in the darkness of ignorance.
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“It was a turning point, the beginning of a slow descent into hell,” said her daughter. In her statement, she referred to photographs found in her father’s archives, in which she appears lying down and naked. Initially, she explained, she did not recognise herself in the images, but later concluded that she had been photographed without her consent as she believed she was drugged, just like her mother.
“We see her buttocks in close-up. This woman is sleeping in a fetal position. I don’t recognize her,” Darian recalled in court. The investigator then assured her that it is her. ““I discover that my father photographed me, secretly, naked. Why?” her daughter asked herself, convinced that her father also drugged her, like her mother.
Gisele Pelicot, center, arrives in the Avignon court house, in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. A woman allegedly drugged by her ex-husband so that she could be raped by other men while she laid unconscious, is expected to testify before a panel of French judges. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly)
The day everything became known, her mother, who had just been told by the police that she had been the victim of rape for years, called her to tell her. “My mother told me: ‘I spent almost the whole day at the police station. Your father drugged me to rape me with strangers.’ I had to see photos. I called my brothers. We are helpless. We cry. We don’t understand what is happening to us. We are suffering, a pain that I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” said Caroline, who uses a pseudonym under which she has also published the book I Stopped Calling You Dad.
From that moment on, everything became contaminated: her perception of the family and everything that was built around it: “How can one rebuild oneself when one knows?” she asks herself. One day after that call, on November 3, 2020, the police in Carpentras, in the south of France, explained to the three brothers that “between 30 and 50” men raped their mother Gisèle Pelicot. Ultimately, the police investigation estimated that up to 72 men sexually assaulted their mother between July 2011 and October 2020, of whom only 50 have been identified, who are currently sitting as defendants in the trial.
Dominique P. pleaded guilty to the charges
His father posted the photos on the internet, but Caroline and her mother were not the only ones to suffer the actions of the 71-year-old, who is following the hearing from a corner of the dock, an AFP journalist noted in the courtroom. Dominique Pélicot also photographed Céline, his son David’s wife, and Aurore, his son Florian’s ex-girlfriend, naked without their consent.
Both, now 48 and 37, believed they were part of the “ideal” and “loving” family, with a “helpful” father-in-law despite his occasional fits of rage. Among the images described by Céline to the court was one of her naked and pregnant with her twins in 2011, in which a zoom was made on her private parts.
The photos ended up on the Internet. “But who do they belong to and where are they now or will they be in 5, 10 years?” the woman wondered. Céline also recalled the day when her children found their grandmother unconscious at around 11:00 a.m., tried to wake her up but couldn’t: “They tried to shake her, but she didn’t react, so she woke up around 5:00 p.m.,” she explained. The night before, “our children could hear things, since they were there,” while their grandmother was probably being raped, she said. She also expressed particular concern about possible crimes committed by the accused against his grandchildren, with whom he was very affectionate, and who were often left alone with him.
For Aurore, who was abused as a child, this case also took its toll. Investigators showed her photos of her in the pool or naked in a bathroom and, among them, “a photo of my father-in-law’s sex on my swimsuit, a montage with ‘My filthy daughter-in-law’” as a caption.
According to the findings of the investigation, Gisèle Pelicot, now 71, was raped dozens of times between 2011 and 2020 by dozens of men whom her husband, Dominique, had contacted so that they could have sex with her in a kind of voyeuristic practice, although she was unaware of anything because she was under the effects of anti-anxiety drugs. It all came to light in September 2020 when Dominique Pélicot was arrested by security guards at a supermarket in the town of Carpentras for having filmed up the skirts of several women.
* With information from EFE and AFP
What were the key revelations during the trial of Dominique Pelicot regarding his treatment of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot?
Table of Contents
- 1 What were the key revelations during the trial of Dominique Pelicot regarding his treatment of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot?
- 2 Here are some People Also Ask (PAA) related questions for the title: **The Horrific Case of Gisèle Pélicot and Her Daughter Caroline Darian: A Family Devastated by Sexual Abuse and Violence**:
The Shocking Trial of Dominique Pelicot: A Family’s Descent into Hell
The trial of Dominique Pelicot, a French man accused of drugging his wife and recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her, has sent shockwaves through France. The case has brought to light the dark secrets of a seemingly “ideal” family, where the father’s evil actions have left his family members shattered and searching for answers.
At the center of the trial is Gisèle Pelicot, Dominique’s wife, who was drugged and raped by multiple men over the course of several years. Her daughter, Caroline Darian, has been a key witness in the trial, recounting the horror she felt when she discovered her father’s actions. [[2]]
Caroline’s testimony revealed the devastating impact of her father’s actions on her life. She described the day she learned of her father’s crimes as a “turning point, the beginning of a slow descent into hell.” [[1]]The discovery of photographs of herself, taken without her consent, has left her questioning her own identity and sense of security.
The trial has also heard from Céline, the wife of Dominique’s son David, and Aurore, the ex-girlfriend of his son Florian. Both women have accused Dominique of photographing them naked without their consent, with the images later appearing online. [[3]]
The family’s testimony has painted a picture of a man who appeared to be a loving and helpful father-in-law, but behind closed doors, he was perpetrating heinous crimes. The women’s accounts have raised concerns about the safety of his grandchildren, who were often left alone with him.
Dominique Pelicot has pleaded guilty to the charges, and the police investigation has estimated that up to 72 men sexually assaulted Gisèle Pelicot between July 2011 and October 2020. The trial has brought to light the use of drugs to commit sexual abuse, a disturbing trend that has sparked outrage and concern.
As the trial continues, the Pelicot family’s story serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of sexual violence and the importance of speaking out against abuse. Caroline Darian’s book, “I Stopped Calling You Dad,” is a testament to the power of courage and resilience in the face of unimaginable horror.
The Pelicot family’s story is a tragic reminder that even in the most seemingly “ideal” families, darkness can lurk. As the trial comes to a close, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for justice and healing for the victims of Dominique Pelicot’s crimes.
The Horrific Case of Gisèle Pélicot and Her Daughter Caroline Darian: A Family Devastated by Sexual Abuse and Violence
The trial of Dominique Pélicot, accused of drugging his wife Gisèle and offering her to multiple men for rape, has sent shockwaves across France. The case has been particularly devastating for Gisèle and her daughter Caroline Darian, who have been forced to confront the dark reality of their family’s past.
According to <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2024/09/06/au-proces-pelicot-la-douleur-et-la-sideration-de-la-famille-comment-a-t-on-pu-ne-rien-voir63058783224.html”>[1] and [2], Gisèle was drugged and raped by around 72 men over a period of 10 years, with her husband facilitating the crimes. The shocking revelations have left the family reeling, with Caroline testifying in court about the trauma she has experienced.
In her emotional testimony, Caroline described the moment she learned about her father’s atrocities as a “turning point, the beginning of a slow descent into hell” [3]. She recounted how she discovered photographs of herself naked and unconscious, taken by her father without her consent. Caroline believes that she too was drugged and abused by her father, just like her mother.
The family’s ordeal began on November 2, 2020, when Gisèle learned about the abuse she had suffered and informed her children. Caroline recalled the moment, saying “My mother told me: ‘I spent almost the whole day at the police station. Your father drugged me to rape me with strangers.’ I had to see photos. I called my brothers. We are helpless. We cry. We don’t understand what is happening to us” [3].
The case has highlighted the need for awareness about chemical submission and sexual violence. Caroline Darian, who uses a pseudonym, has published a book titled “I Stopped Calling You Dad” and has launched the “#Don’t Fall Asleep” awareness campaign to raise awareness about the issue.
As the trial continues, Gisèle and Caroline’s courage in speaking out about their experiences is a testament to the strength and resilience of survivors of sexual abuse. Their story serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting victims of sexual violence and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
